American Scene

ARIZONA

Private prison blamed in report on escapes

PHOENIX — Arizona’s prison director says a privately operated prison where three inmates escaped last month, setting off a massive search, had poor operational practices that led to the unstaffing of a perimeter post.

The state Corrections Department released a report on security at the Kingman prison Thursday.

Corrections Department Director Charles Ryan says numerous false alarms led to lax responses by prison personnel, and he also cited operational practices that led to a gap in permitted staffing during an evening when the July 30 escape occurred.

The three escapees from the medium-security unit included two convicted of murder. Two of the three convicts have been recaptured, but one remains at large along with a woman accused of aiding the escape by tossing wire cutters into the prison.

CALIFORNIA

BLM suspends permits of race promoter

LOS ANGELES — The Bureau of Land Management has suspended future event permits for the promoter of last weekend’s off-road race in the California desert where eight spectators were killed by a racing truck.

The federal agency said Thursday the suspension of any MDR Productions permits will remain in effect while an investigation of the accident is under way.

The spectators were killed Saturday night during the California 200 off-road race in the Mojave Desert northeast of Los Angeles. Ten other spectators were injured.

Video of the accident showed spectators gathered along the edge of the narrow dirt course as trucks sped past. One truck went out of control and overturned in the crowd.

DELAWARE

Doctor may have given bad vaccines

DOVER — A former Delaware doctor charged with sexually assaulting more than 100 of his patients also may have given diluted or expired vaccines to children.

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