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Driver freed in Stratosphere crash commits suicide

By WTOP Staff

KEN RITTER
Associated Press

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A hotel room suicide of a man who was freed from jail after being accused of intentionally crashing his vehicle into the Stratosphere and declaring he wanted to jump from its tower is raising questions about why he hadn’t been charged with a crime and whether he was properly screened for mental illness.

Answers weren’t immediately apparent.

Ryan C. Brown asphyxiated before he was found hanging Tuesday in a room at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, the Clark County coroner said.

That was a day after a Las Vegas judge ordered the 40-year-old Brown freed with no restrictions because prosecutors hadn’t filed criminal charges in the Sept. 10 crash at the Stratosphere hotel-casino, and didn’t seek more time to do so. Brown was told to return to court Oct. 15.

“The real question is why the district attorney didn’t charge him,” said Daren Richards, assistant Clark County public defender.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson was in meetings Thursday and unavailable for immediate comment, said Tess Driver, his executive assistant.

Richards, a veteran administrator in an office representing indigent defendants, said arrestees are usually screened during jail intake for suicidal thoughts and mental health issues. In some cases, judges are notified if more evaluation is needed.

In extreme cases, police or jailers can order a “Legal 2000” mental health evaluation by a doctor, said Officer Larry Hadfield, a Las Vegas police spokesman. That process can take up to 72 hours.

But “people can’t be held without cause,” Hadfield said. “It’s not against the law to be mentally ill.”

Hadfield said he had no information about Brown’s case.

Brown hadn’t been assigned a lawyer because he hadn’t been charged with a crime, and Richards said it wasn’t clear from the court record if Brown underwent jail psychological screening.

However, it seemed evident from a police report that crimes could have been alleged.

No one was hurt in the crash, but investigators said it appeared to have been a deliberate act.

Brown drove on a sidewalk past pedestrians before accelerating his Ford F-150 pickup through the valet area and crashing through the front glass doors, police said. The truck came to rest near the hotel bell desk, wedged between railings of a four-step casino entry stairway in a shower of broken glass.

Brown tried to run and struggled with security guards before police arrived and arrested him on felony cocaine possession and misdemeanor driving under the influence and reckless driving charges.

Police reported finding more than 1 gram of crack in the vehicle ashtray, and said Brown admitted using drugs for six days and smoking crack cocaine two hours before the crash.

Brown told officers he had wanted to jump off the Stratosphere and that he was excited to be making news, according to the police report. He said he had the same birthday as Elvis Presley, worked as an electrician at the Burning Man counterculture festival in northern Nevada, and had being fired after a domestic dispute with his wife. Her name and his hometown weren’t provided.

He told police he was born in Indiana.

Brown later became combative with jailers, who restrained him with a cover over his face to prevent him from spitting at others, the police report said.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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