logo
Las Vegas woman sues Virgin Hotels for negligence after ex-supervisor beat her

Las Vegas woman sues Virgin Hotels for negligence after ex-supervisor beat her

Yahoo3 days ago

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Las Vegas woman, who prosecutors say was beaten nearly to death by her former casino floor supervisor, has filed a lawsuit against Virgin Hotels accusing the company of negligence.
Fausto Pozuelo Sarria, 43, was sentenced on September 2024 to a two-year prison sentence for battery with a deadly weapon. His victim Nichole Roberts, 38, said she suffers from headaches, vertigo, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Her life changed on July 15, 2024.
'I will always remember that day,' Roberts said. 'What [my family and friends] were going to think about me dying. I was mostly thinking that they were going to be disappointed that I let this happen to me with this guy.'
Pozuelo Sarria, who was table games floor supervisor at Virgin Hotels, showed up at Roberts's home on the morning of July 15, 2024. Roberts was a card dealer at Virgin Hotels. The two began dating within weeks after she started in January of 2024.
However, Roberts said she ended the relationship after learning of his drug problems. Roberts had filed an HR complaint that ultimately led to his firing.
'On some level, I still almost feel bad for him that he got fired, and then I feel crazy because he tried to kill me for it,' Roberts said.
Pozuelo Sarria hit her over the head with a wine bottle several times, punched her repeatedly, and choked her to the point where she blacked out.
He pleaded guilty a month after the assault in August. At his sentencing on Sept. 23, Clark County prosecutors said Roberts was lucky to have survived.
'This is a situation where this is a clear attempt murder. The defendant pled to a battery with a deadly weapon, but ultimately that's a gift for him, because he's lucky that she was able to stand here today and speak,' Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Sarah Overly said.
Clark County District Court Judge Ronald Israel sentenced Pozuelo Sarria to a two-to-10-year prison sentence.
Pozuelo Sarria apologized to Roberts for nearly killing her.
'What I did to the victim was wrong. My behavior was unacceptable and for that, I apologize,' Pozuelo Sarria said. He is currently incarcerated at the Southern Desert Correctional Center.
He admitted to abusing drugs at the time he assaulted Roberts.
Roberts said employees at Virgin Hotels knew of his drug use, but ignored it, which is why she filed a civil lawsuit last November against the hotel seeking $5 million in damages.
'Their negligence and ignoring all of these little factors made it so I almost got murdered,' she said.
She hasn't returned to work at Virgin Hotels since the attack. Virgin Hotels has sought to get Nichole Roberts' lawsuit dismissed, but a Clark County District Court Judge has refused. A jury trial is scheduled for Aug. of 2026.
The hotel has not responded to 8 News Now's past requests for a comment on this lawsuit.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Pr. George's police chief is a finalist for a job in Phoenix
Pr. George's police chief is a finalist for a job in Phoenix

Washington Post

time23 minutes ago

  • Washington Post

Pr. George's police chief is a finalist for a job in Phoenix

The city of Phoenix said Wednesday that Prince George's County Police Chief Malik Aziz is a finalist in its nationwide search for someone to lead the police department in Arizona's largest city. The news circulated among Aziz's officers in Maryland, many of whom learned of the chief's job search from a Phoenix news release announcing him as one of three finalists. The Prince George's County Police Department declined to comment. The news of Aziz's potential departure comes as Aisha N. Braveboy (D) prepares to take over as Prince George's County executive on Juneteenth. Braveboy, who has served as state's attorney since 2019, was elected to the role in early June after the job was vacated mid-term by Angela Alsobrooks (D), now a U.S. senator. It is not uncommon for new county executives to bring in their own Cabinet members or hire new people into key leadership roles. As the top law enforcement officials in Prince George's County, Braveboy and Aziz worked alongside each other since 2021, when he was hired to reform the police department amid nationwide calls for racial justice and police accountability. 'As states attorney my office had a good working relationship with Chief Aziz,' Braveboy said in a statement Wednesday. 'I wish him the best.' Acting county executive Tara Jackson said in a statement that Aziz 'has done an outstanding job leading our police department through challenging times.' At a recent news conference, Aziz touted an overall decrease in crime, with total crime down 16 percent compared with this time last year. His annual summer crime initiative is in full swing, which focuses on crime reduction and community engagement during the summer months. A Texas native, Aziz came to Maryland after decades in law enforcement in Dallas, where he garnered a national reputation as an advocate for community policing and reform. He had served as the national chair of the National Black Police Association and worked on President Barack Obama's task force on 21st century policing in 2015. He advocated for the Justice Department to collect annual demographic statistics from all police agencies to hold them accountable for diversifying their command ranks, according to the task force's final report. Alsobrooks hired Aziz in March 2021 and instructed him to overhaul a department that has long had a contentious relationship with county residents. He took over as the nation and the county were grappling with the Black Lives Matter movement and widespread calls for reform. He vowed to build a strong relationship with reform advocates and community partners. Tamara McKinney, vice president of the Heels Off Gloves On Boxing Foundation, said Aziz once showed up to a boxing ring to support the organization. When he noticed a young boxer was without boxing shoes, he found a sponsor to assist the group. They were able to buy 16 to 18 pairs of shoes for boxers who couldn't afford the equipment, McKinney said. 'I think he made a concerted effort to change the mind of the community about having such a negative outlook on police,' McKinney said. Before coming to Prince George's, Aziz had been a finalist for chief positions in cities across the country, including Milwaukee, Miami and his hometown of Dallas, where he last served as deputy chief of the Dallas Police Department. Phoenix officials said the three finalists will speak at a public forum on Monday. City officials said they hope to announce the new chief in July.

Peninsula man honors son killed in line of duty by helping underserved youth
Peninsula man honors son killed in line of duty by helping underserved youth

CBS News

time30 minutes ago

  • CBS News

Peninsula man honors son killed in line of duty by helping underserved youth

New East Palo Alto sports field opens to honor officer killed in line of duty New East Palo Alto sports field opens to honor officer killed in line of duty New East Palo Alto sports field opens to honor officer killed in line of duty A Peninsula man has turned his grief into a catalyst for good. After his police officer son was killed nearly 20 years ago in the line of duty, he created a positive outlet for the community's youth. When Dr. Frank Merrill looks onto an East Palo Alto field, he sees more than afternoon rugby practice. "The dream for us was to make a difference, to give kids an opportunity they didn't have," he said. That dream came out of a nightmare. His step-son, East Palo Alto police officer Rich May, was shot to death by a parolee in 2006. During the trial, the defense argued that the lack of positive activities for youth contributed to the shooter's criminal history. After sentencing, Merrill got to thinking about what he could do for underserved young people. "I can't solve world hunger. I can't solve world peace. I can't change families. I can't do a lot of things, but I can given them a field to play on," said the retired veterinarian. So Merrill and his late wife, Clarice, set out to build a field to create something positive and honor Rich May, who was passionate about serving kids in the Police Activities League. "He was never one of those people who would try to fight the world. He was going to make it a better place by being amenable to working with people," Merrill said. The state-of-the-art Rich May Memorial Field opened in 2015. The Merrills and their supporters raised $2 million, mostly in private donations, and overcame years of obstacles. "When the lights came up, that was the most glorious thing I'd seen in years and years and years," Merrill recalled. Today, 700 young people use the field each day. In fact, it's so well-used that the Rich May Foundation, which Merrill started in 2017, is trying to raise a million dollars to replace the turf on the field. Under a unique operating agreement, the Rich May Foundation manages the field that is owned by the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and Ravenswood School District. Rich May Field is home to the East Palo Alto Razorhawks Rugby Club. The club's grateful for the affordable rental fee, at $50 an hour, a fraction of the going rate. Coach Vaea Sanft says having a home base is a win for membership. "The last three years has doubled every year," Sanft said. "Now to have a field we can call our own: It's a blessing for these kids, and we really appreciate it." East Palo Alto Police Chief Jeff Liu, who was a good friend of Rich May, says the community also scores in crime prevention. Enriching activities on the field help create a community of good citizens. "It took a community to bring this together, and Frank was a catalyst behind that. He was the inspiration and he was the driving force to make that happen," Liu said. "They don't even realize it. They're learning good behavior and it's just good," Merrill said. "It needs to be celebrated, Frank needs to be celebrated," stated Liu. So, for building the Rich May Memorial field to foster healthy recreational opportunities, this week's CBS News Bay Area ICON Award goes to Dr. Frank Merrill.

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small wins Democratic primary despite indictment
Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small wins Democratic primary despite indictment

CBS News

timean hour ago

  • CBS News

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small wins Democratic primary despite indictment

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small will be the Democratic nominee again despite facing an indictment. With all districts reporting, Small won the nomination handily, with more than 62% of the vote. Challenger Bob McDevitt, a former union president, had about 36%. Small will face Naeem Ahmed Khan, who won the uncontested Republican primary, in November's general election. Small was indicted on a witness tampering charge in December after prosecutors allege he tried to get his daughter to cover up alleged abuse. Prosecutors previously charged him with abusing his teenage daughter. CBS News Philadelphia In December, Small's attorney Edwin Jacobs said in a statement, "It is very unusual for discussions between parents and their children to be of any interest whatsoever to a county prosecutor. This indictment proves the old adage: a grand jury can indict a ham sandwich. This is especially true when the indictment is good for grabbing a headline." Small became mayor in 2019 and was elected to a four-year term in 2021.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store