Drug crimes, burglary, child neglect and a third DUI offense made up the bulk of this weekend's felony-related arrests, Carson City Sheriff's Office deputies report.
Two men were arrested Sunday and face felony charges after attempting to steal air compressors from a vacant Carson City building. Arrested were Geoffrey Earl Meudt, 39, of Gardnerville and Steven Walter Cozad, 30, of Wellington, Nev. Both are being held and face charges of being in possession of burglary tools and gross misdemeanor charges of conspiracy to commit theft.
According to the arrest report, officers responded Sunday to the 5200 block of Sigstrum in Carson City for a report of a commercial burglary in progress. Dispatch advised a private security officer had two men at gunpoint behind a vacant building. The men then fled the business in a brown Mazda truck driving through vacant fields at a high rate of speed, winding up on Goni, the arrest report states.
The Mazda was spotted on Goni at Jefferson where patrol officers made a traffic stop with both men ordered out of the truck at gunpoint. The security officer arrived on the scene and stated that his company is contracted to patrol 5200 Sigstrom, a vacant business building that is for sale. A neighbor called the security officer to report the two men and the Mazda behind the building.
The security officer told Carson City officers that he arrived at the building and found the men behind the fenced area attached to the rear of the building. When the security officer identified himself to the men, they stated they had permission to dismantle a motor in the fenced area, the guard told arresting officers.
The security officer began to question the men, and then drew a firearm and ordered the men to stop as they attempted to flee with a large duffel bag of tools and a bucket of tools, the arrest report states. Both men got in the truck and took off. Patrol officers looked in the truck bed and saw bolt cutters, a sawzall, large wrenches, and hacksaws and other multiple tools in the bucket and in the duffel bag. It appeared these tools were being used for the burglary, the report states.
A deputy responded to the business and looked inside the fenced area. There was electrical wire that had been cut from large air compressors and the deputy originally thought the men had attempted to steal copper wire from the air compressors, the arrest report states. The security officer identified an empty electrical junction box in the truck bed that belonged on one of the air compressors.
Officers met with the security officer at the business. In the fenced area there were four large air compressors. It appeared the men had attempted to steal the air compressors and/or the motors or tanks. A motor was missing from the top of one of the compressors and the tank was unbolted from the wall. Air supply lines and power cables had been freshly cut from the air compressors to the building. Electrical boxes were open on the building and wires were cut.
The men were arrested and booked on the charges of being in possession of burglary tools, conspiracy to commit theft, destruction of private property and trespassing.
In other weekend felony arrests:
A Schurz, Nev., man was arrested Sunday by Carson City Sheriff's Office deputies and faces a felony charge of driving under the influence for at least the third time. Donnie Roy Johnson, 29, was arrested at 10:23 p.m. near Curry and Robinson streets.
A computer check showed he was convicted of a third DUI offense in March 2007. Officers stopped the man after he stopped at an intersection where there are no traffic controls, according to the arrest report.
Johnson produced a Nevada driver's license but could not provide proof of insurance. The report states his eyes were red and watery and he told officers he drank two beers prior to driving. An odor of alcohol was on his breath when he spoke with the officer. He performed a series of field sobriety tests and a preliminary breath test showed him to be over .08, the legal limit. He was taken into custody. Bail: $20,000.
— A Mound House man was arrested Feb. 22, 10:13 p.m. the 1500 block of East William Street and faces felony charges of conspiracy to violate the Controlled Substance Act and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell.
Todd Rudolph Paluck, 29, was arrested after Carson City patrol officers stopped him traveling in a 2004 Cadillac Escalade at William and Saliman, and making numerous moving violations including talking on a cell phone.
Officers approached the Cadillac to speak with Paluck who appeared to be nervous; and the vehicle had an "overpowering odor of air fresheners," the arrest report states. Paluck was asked by officers if they could look in the vehicle for contraband and he stated no. He stated, without being asked or prompted, that a K9 could go around his vehicle but could not go inside the vehicle, the arrest report states.
The K9, Rex, arrived on scene and made several positive alerts on the vehicle. Officers asked Paluck if they could search the vehicle due to the positive K9 alert and he stated that they could search the vehicle but the K9 was not allowed in the vehicle, the report states.
During a search of the vehicle two small manilla envelopes were located tucked into the center console. The envelopes both contained approximately 1.5 grams of methamphetamine, the report states.
During the search of the vehicle Paluck's phone went off and a text scrolled across the screen stating the a cut should be saved for him and money would be given later, the arrest report states. One of the envelopes located had "Mack Daddy" written on it which matched the name of the text message observed, the arrest report states.
Paluck was arrested, his vehicle held for investigation and $555 cash was seized. All were booked into evidence. Bail: $35,000.
— A Carson City man was arrested in the 3900 block of Northgate on Feb. 22 at 8:16 p.m. and faces felony charges of fraud, possession of a controlled substance and possession of stolen property.
Daniel Bruce Magner, admitted to authorities of fraud, petit larceny, and being in possession of stolen property when he was found by officers who were called to the area of Northgate on a report that Magner was attempting to sell stolen property, the arrest report states.
The property was not listed in the arrest report. Magner was also wanted by Carson City Justice for for violation of a suspended sentence, the arrest report states. Bail: $34,500.
— A Carson City man was arrested Feb. 21 and faces felony charge of home invasion and misdemeanor trespassing and contempt of court.
Ryan Williams, 25, was arrested in the 3300 block of South Carson Street at around 9 a.m. According to the report officers were dispatched to a home in reference to a man who was seen with a red and black backpack, an orange suitcase and an ax.
Williams was seen walking west on the north side of the 600 block of Pioche. As an officer approached Williams, he walked across the street. The officer told the man to stop. The man walked up to a driveway, went to the garage, dropped the backpack and suitcase and walked quickly to the door that enters the house, the arrest report says.
As Williams got to the door of the residence, he opened the door and doing so with ax in his hand, forced his way into the house, the report states. The officer ran after him and discovered he had gone out the sliding glass door and was attempting to climb over a fence.
Being unable to climb the fence, he ran back toward the sliding door as the officer walked out the door. The officer ordered Williams to stop but he continued running west toward the west fence and attempted to climb over it. Again ordered to stop, the man ran over to a north fence and jumped over it, the report states.
Officers advised dispatch and other units responded to the area. The man was seen running in the area of Bonnyview Drive and then to Cherry Creek Apartments where he broke through a glass sliding door and then went out the front door. He was taken into custody. Bail: $40,000.
— A 35-year-old Carson City man, Joshua Dale Allen, was arrested Feb. 21, 4:54 p.m. in the 2100 block of California Street and faces felony charges of child endangerment and having dangerous drugs without a prescription and a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to the arrest report, officers were called to the California street address in reference to a welfare check on a male subject, reported by a witness, who appeared to be "tweeking."
The witness said she called because Allen appeared high on drugs and that he had a 2-year-old son with him. According to the arrest report, officers observed Allen walking out of his apartment and appeared to be heavily under the influence of some kind of narcotic.
He could not sit still, his arms and legs moved wildly and he had a hard time standing upright, the report states. "Josh could barely keep his eyes open and at first spoke excitedly then switched to low monotone speech almost as if he was going to pass out," the report states. He was also carrying his small two year old boy.
Officers advised it was clear he was under some kind of drugs. He was read his Miranda warning and officers began to speak to him about what he had ingested. He became emotional at times, and was hard to understand. His behavior was making the small boy frightened who in turn also began crying, according to the arrest report.
Allen said he had taken Morphine and Xanax, which he said he bought off the street, along with over-the-counter pain medication, prescription Hydrocodone, several other prescription drugs along with admitting to recently smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol, the report states.
The interior of the apartment was filthy, according to the arrest report. There were clothes and garbage strewn about and mixed in with children's clothes and toys. In plain view on the floor next to the couch, inches away from the child's toys was a multi-colored marijuana pipe with residue, a plastic basket full of prescription bottles, loose pills, child medication and recycled cigarette filters. The basket was right next to the couch surrounded by more children's toys, hand tools and knives, all within reach of the small child, the report states.
As officers spoke with the man he jostled and juggled the boy in his arms, at one point it appeared he was going to drop the child, the report states. A deputy took the boy in his arms to prevent Allen from harming him. The boy became upset as Allen became upset.
Allen said his wife was with her grandmother and would be home soon. Then he advised he needed someone to pick her up. Finally he said she would be home in two minutes, the report states. There were bottles of pills with his wife's name on them mixed in with his pills.
Child Protective Services arrived on the scene and deputies began to photograph the condition of the apartment as well as the position of the pills, marijuana pipe, tools and knives all mixed in with child toys, the report states. Allen was arrested for child endangerment and possession of drug paraphernalia. Child Protective Services took custody of the boy.
In further interviews, the man was upset and could barely focus on the situation. His eyes rolled back in his head and he had trouble standing, the report states. While sitting he could not be still and thrashed about. He advised his other two children were removed from his custody in Oregon and admitted that he had been found to be an unfit parent, the report states.
He was taken to the hospital for medical clearance where he was evaluated by medical staff who ran several tests including blood work. Officers were advised that in addition to other narcotics, Allen also had methamphetamine in his system.
Once he was medically cleared officers transported him to jail. While enroute he admitted to smoking meth at least three times during the day in addition to all the other drugs he had consumed.
The arresting officer asked where his two-year-old son was while he had been smoking meth. At first Allen said he was with him the whole time but then said he wasn't. The officer asked him to clarify and he did not answer the officer and began to fall asleep mumbling.
Bail: $6,000.
In non-felony related arrests:
— A Carson City man was arrested Feb. 22, 2:30 a.m. and faces misdemeanor charges of domestic battery and probation violation. According to the arrest report, the 21-year-old man battered his 17-year-old sister in the parking lot of Carson Tahoe Hospital.
Officers arrived on scene and saw the female victim bleeding badly from the nose. The victim stated her brother punched her at least twice in the nose using his right fist. She filled out a statement form against her brother. The man admitted that he battered his sister, saying he slapped her in the face, causing her nose to bleed. The man had no visible injuries. He had been sentenced previously through alternative sentencing on condition that he obey all laws. He was arrested. Bail: $3,000.
— A Carson City man faces a gross misdemeanor charge of child endangerment, and two misdemeanor charges including domestic battery and obstructing after being arrested Feb. 21, at 10:38 p.m. in the 4100 block of Conte Drive.
According to the arrest report, officers were called to the Conte Drive residence after a report that a child had been struck with a spatula and that a man was chasing a female and a fight was in progress.
On scene officers made contact with the victim who standing in front of the residence who said her father had been drinking and was verbally abusive with her. She said she went into her bedroom to get away and he entered her room and began yelling about her cleaning the room, the arrest report states.
She said her father then got a spatula and swatted her on the buttocks and told her to get out of the house, according to the arrest report. The victim called her mother and asked that she pick her up. The victim said that as she was waiting for her mother, her father came out of the house, grabbed the hood of her hooded sweatshirt and dragged her backwards 20 feet into a small shed located near the driveway, the report states.
The victim told officers that after her father finished dragging her, he began yelling, cussing, pushed and shoved her and slapped a cell phone out of her hands. The victim said she hit her father in an attempt to escape, the report states.
The victim's mother arrived and called for her and the girl ran to her mother. The girl told officers that she loved her father but when he is drunk he is mean and abusive.
The man, who smelled strongly of alcohol, said he swatted his daughter on the buttocks with a spatula, but said nothing else happened and that the girl was acting incorrigible and needed to go to jail. He said she punched him on the left side of the face and that she was out of control, the report states.
Based on the information obtained, the man was arrested for domestic battery and neglect. Officers attempted to arrest him and the man began to resist but submitted eventually after being told he would be taken to the ground and cuffed if he didn't stop resisting the officer. Bail: $5,500.
— Those arrested are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.