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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

Wednesday, December 30, 1998

Driver located in hit and run  death

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
A preliminary autopsy report revealed that the victim of a Dec. 20 hit-and-run victim died of head injuries, but the investigation of the case is continuing, Pecos police said this morning.

Jesus Olivas Ortiz, 57, died last Thursday morning in Odessa Medical Center, four days after he was the victim of a hit-and-run accident on North Cedar Street.

"We have received a statement from the driver of the vehicle and a confession," said Pecos Police Investigator Freddy Contreras.

Ortiz was struck while in the northbound lane of U.S. Highway 285 (Cedar Street) just north of the railroad tracks about 2 a.m. on Sunday, December 20.

According to Contreras no charges have been filed yet, but a warrant will be issued next week for the suspect of the vehicle.

"At this time, the suspect will be charged with felony failure to stop and render aid," said Contreras.

A passing motorist discovered Ortiz lying in the roadway in a pool of blood shortly after the accident happened. He stopped to protect the injured man from traffic, Contreras said. There were no other reported eyewitnesses to the accident.

Contreras said that at the time of the accident Ortiz appeared to have a massive head wound. He had been on a life support system since being transferred to the Odessa hospital's intensive care unit.

Police are still not sure why Ortiz was in the middle of the street when he was struck by the vehicle. "We are still investigating this particular incident, since there is more to it than just a hit-and-run accident," Contreras said.

Economic development startup delayed

By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
Holidays and technicalities have slowed economic development efforts to a crawl, said Gari Ward, president of the Pecos Economic Development Corporation.

The new corporation, formed after the 4A Sales Tax initiative passed in the November general election, is still in the embryo stage because the temporary corporation funded by the city, county and school district, has not yet been dissolved, Ward said today.

Paperwork to dissolve the current corporation is in the Secretary of State's office awaiting action. Once that happens - after the holidays are over, most likely - then an application for a new corporation can be submitted, Ward said.

"We are in limbo until we get our articles of incorporation," he said. "Until we get some funding, we don't have the money to equip our office. Hopefully, after the first of the year, we will have funding where we can finish this office situation."

That funding will have to come from grants, because the corporation will not have access to sales tax revenues until next October. Ward said he is working on a grant application now, but that he can't submit it until the new corporation is formed.

"You just have to go through the hoops," he said.

Iraq hit by new missiles

By DEB RIECHMANN
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON — U.S. warplanes fired missiles and laser-guided bombs on a defense site in southern Iraq early today after it fired six to eight missiles at a British aircraft, government officials said.

The U.S. and British planes returned to their bases safely, Pentagon officials said, in what was the second American-Iraqi missile exchange in a no-fly zone since Monday.

At the White House, a senior administration official said that Iraq fired the surface-to-air missiles at the British aircraft. U.S. aircraft responded by firing two missiles and several laser-guided munitions at the Iraqi air defense station.

President Clinton was briefed by his National Security Council advisers today before flying to a South Carolina resort to begin a holiday vacation. His deputy national security team also was meeting to discuss the incidents over Iraq, the White House said.

Before leaving, the president discussed Iraq with Russian President Boris Yeltsin during a previously scheduled telephone call and agreed not to allow their differences to disrupt U.S.-Russian relations, said David Leavy, a White House spokesman.

The Russian government strongly criticized the U.S. and British bombing of Iraq in mid-December, insisting there was no justification for using force. Leavy said Yeltsin did not specifically mention the no-fly clashes that occurred Monday and today.

"Our allied aircraft will continue to enforce the no-fly zones vigorously," said Leavy. "As the president has said, they are a key element of our containment policy."

Leavy said today's incident "underscores the continued threat that Saddam (Hussein) poses to the region. We will take the necessary precautions to carry out our mission and to protect our air crews."

At the Pentagon, spokesman Col. Richard Bridges said 20 U.S. fighter jets and electronic warfare planes and four British bombers were patrolling the Iraqi skies when the incident occured, a normal presence for a no-fly mission.

Asked if any Iraqi missiles came close to any Western aircraft, Bridges said, "I have no indication they were anywhere near successful." He said the Iraqis often don't turn on targeting radar until the last second — making it almost impossible to score a hit — because the anti-aircraft site doesn't want to draw a radar-seeking missile reponse.

"I'm sure Saddam is hoping he's going to get lucky at some point," Bridges said. "We have robust rules of engagement that allow us to defend ourselves adequately."

For now, it appears that Iraq is simply taunting U.S. and British warplanes in the no-fly zone by throwing up missiles as part of a campaign to challenge the tight U.N. and American controls on the country, according to foreign policy experts.

Although Iraq, which doesn't accept the legitimacy of the no-fly zones, has claimed it is now operating aircraft in the off-limits regions, Bridges said there have been no reported sightings of Iraqi planes in the region in the past few days.

A British bomber first reported today's Iraqi missile launching at about 9:30 a.m. local time (1:30 a.m. EST) near Talil, Iraq.

"They visually detected firing. They took evasive action to avoid the missiles," said Maj. Joe LaMarca, a spokesman for the U.S. Central Command, responsible for American forces in the Persian Gulf, at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. "I don't know for sure what they (the Iraqis) were firing at, but common sense would tell you that they were firing at the (British) aircraft."

Two U.S. F-16 bombers patrolling the area responded and fired two anti-radar missiles and a number of precision-guided bombs onto the site at 10:15 a.m. (2:15 a.m. EST), a Pentagon spokesman said.

The aircraft safely departed the area about a half hour later.

A spokesman for the British Defense Ministry said: "The firm response to the latest Iraqi provocation is ample evidence of our commitment" to patrol the no-fly zone.

No activity was reported in the northern no-fly zone. Senior Airman Adam Stump, a spokesman for Operation Northern Watch said: "We've been carrying out flights as usual today. Everyone arrived safely. There were no incidents reported."

On Monday, U.S. warplanes exchanged missile fire with Iraqi air defenses when the planes were fired upon by Iraqi surface-to-air missiles. In Baghdad, the Iraqi military said Monday's U.S. attack killed four Iraqi soldiers and injured seven others.

Clinton described the earlier incident as a demonstration of American resolve to keep a lid on Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's military forces, which were among the main targets of a four-day U.S.-British missile assault less than two weeks ago.

Police Report

EDITOR'S NOTE: Information contained in the Police Report is obtained from reports filed by the Pecos Police Department, Reeves County Sheriff's Office, or other officers of those agencies.  The serving of warrants by an officer for outstanding fines of either traffic citations, animal control violations or other court costs are considered arrests and will be printed as such unless indicated that the fines were paid. In such instances we will indicate payment and release.

***

Francisco Orona, 24, was arrested at 8:01 a.m., on December 23, at the corner of Third and Eddy streets, for driving while intoxicated.

***

Javier Estrella, 29, was arrested at 1:10 a.m., on December 24, at the corner of Third and Pecan streets, on a DWI refusal. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.

***

Estevan Cano Onsurez Jr., 41, was arrested at 10:52 p.m., on December 24, in the 600 block of East Third Street, for driving while intoxicated. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.

***

Manuel Aguilar, 42, was arrested at 1:56 a.m., on December 25, in the 2300 block of Madera Road, for public intoxication. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.

***

Pedro Morales, 60, was arrested at 10:12 p.m., on December 26, in the 300 block of Mulberry Street, for public intoxication. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.

***

Peter Jacquez, 28, was arrested at 12:30 a.m., on December 27, in the 1500 block of Morris Street, for driving while intoxicated. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.

***

Rey Valenzuela, 20, and Doroteo Valenzuela, 20, were arrested at 1:58 a.m., on December 27, in the 1400 block of South Cedar Street, as minors in possession. They were transported to Reeves County Jail.

***

Epifanio Reyes, 24, was arrested at 3:41 a.m., on December 27, for presenting a false I.D. to a Peace Officer. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.

***

Eleuterio Perez, 32, was arrested at 4:07 a.m., on December 27, in the 2200 block of East Eighth Street, for public intoxication. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.

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Gabriel Ornelas, 20, was arrested at 4:24 a.m., on December 27, in the 600 block of South Oak Street, as a minor in possession. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.

***

Ruben Matta, 44, was arrested at 4:55 a.m., on December 27, in the 1500 block of Elizabeth Street, for assault under the Family Violence Act. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.

***

Jose A. Samaguey, 23, and David Reyes, 17, were arrested at 12:42 a.m., on December 28, in the 900 block of West Seventh Street. Samaguey was arrested for making alcohol available to a minor and Reyes as a minor in possession. They were transported to Reeves County Jail.

***

Jose A. Nunez, 18, was arrested at 1:37 a.m., on December 28, in the 900 block of West Daggett Street, as a minor in possession. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.

***

Roxann Q. Rodriguez, 18, was arrested at 1:57 a.m., on December 28, in the 1900 block of Nebraska Street, for public intoxication. She was transported to Reeves County Jail.

***

Cody Arthur Wilburn, 38, and Michael Caudillo, 37, were arrested at 12:58 a.m., on December 29, in the 700 block of South Cedar Street, for public intoxication. They were transported to Reeves County Jail.

***

Joaquin Mata, 17, was arrested at 5:35 a.m., on December 29, in the 1300 block of South Cedar Street, for public intoxication. He was transported to Reeves County Jail.

Obituary

Adela Guebara

Adela Guebara, 63, died Tuesday, Dec. 29, 1998, at Odessa Medical Center.

A rosary will be held at 7:30 p.m., today at the Pecos Funeral Home Chapel.

Mass is scheduled for 2 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 31, at Santa Rosa Catholic Church with burial in Greenwood Cemetery.

She was born July 24, 1935, in Balmorhea, was a homemaker and a Catholic.

Survivors include her husband, Guillermo Guebara of Pecos; her mother, Lorenza Millan of Pecos; four sons, Guillermo Guebara Jr. and Raymond Guebara of Pecos, Robert Guebara of Greenwood, Luis Licon of Pecos; three daughters, Lelia Alvarez of Monahans, Georgia Muniz of Andrews, Beatrice Valencia of Odessa; five brothers, Mike, Charlie Jr. and Julian Millan of Pecos, Henry and Tommy Millan of Andrews; three sisters, Sally Gomez and Mary Millan of Pecos, Eloisa Contreras of Odessa; 21 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Weather

High Tuesday 68, low last night 33. Tonight, fair. Lows around 35. East to northeast winds 5-15 mph. Thursday, increasing clouds. Highs 60 to 65. Southeast winds 10-20 mph. Forecast for new years weekend, windy Friday with a slight chance of showers, then colder. Highs 60 to 70 Friday, 45 to 55 Saturday/Sunday. Lows 40 to 50 Friday, 25 to 35 Saturday, 20 to 30 Sunday.



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Pecos Enterprise
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