Nation in brief: WWII-era planes crash at show

Two single-engine war planes at an experimental air show collided while landing Friday, killing one of the pilots and injuring the other, officials said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the collision with the two P-51 Mustangs happened after the planes finished a performance at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual AirVenture show. P-51 Mustangs are single-seat fighters that were used in World War II.

National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Ted Lopatkiewicz said one pilot died and the other had minor injuries when the planes clipped wings on landing.

The annual convention is considered one of the world’s largest gatherings of recreational aviators. It draws more than 600,000 people and 10,000 planes from around the world. The weeklong event ends Sunday.

Columbus, Ohio

Watergate figure suffers stroke

Watergate conspirator Jeb Stuart Magruder suffered a stroke that apparently led to crashes with two vehicles this week, police said Friday.

Magruder, 72, has been hospitalized since Monday, when his car rear-ended a motorcycle, then hit a box truck about a mile farther down state Route 315, an expressway that runs through Columbus.

Police said he was cited Thursday on counts of failing to maintain proper distance and leaving the scene of an accident. Accident investigators concluded that Magruder had had a stroke, police spokeswoman Amanda Ford said Friday.

Magruder has an Aug. 3 arraignment, and prosecutors intend to proceed with their case, said Robert Levering, an assistant city prosecutor. He said a medical condition is not generally a legal defense by itself.

Magruder was hospitalized in serious condition after Monday’s crashes.

Lodi, Calif.

Cashier fired after robbery

A gas station cashier who was held up on the job and helped track down the robber has been fired.

The company that owns the station said Cynthia Lopez lost her job because her cash drawer was $16 over its $50 limit.

“We do have policies on cash limits in registers to protect our employees’ safety,” Tesoro Corp. spokeswoman Sarah Simpson said. “We have a zero-tolerance policy.”

Lopez, 31, was working behind the counter July 11 when a masked man put a gun on the counter and demanded the contents of the cash register.

Lopez handed over the money and some lottery tickets. She made a point of noting the man’s clothing and the license plate number on the getaway car.

Police later used the number to track down and arrest two men in connection with the stickup.

The next day, Lopez lost her job.