Carson City deputies arrest man who threw meth over freeway ramp fence

A 25-year-old man is facing multiple charges, including a felony, after driving with his high beams on early Sunday morning, and then attempting to throw methamphetamine over a freeway ramp during a traffic stop, a Carson City sheriff's deputy said.

Christopher Michael Lerude of Dayton was arrested after a patrolling CCSO deputy saw he was driving with his high beams on while there was oncoming traffic.

The deputy conducted a traffic stop, and according to the police report, noticed Lerude was making “furtive movements” by reaching toward the passenger seat and floorboard area. During their conversation, the deputy noted that Lerude was evasive and wouldn’t make eye contact, and the deputy said he could smell alcohol coming from him.

When the deputy asked Lerude to step out of the car, Lerude sprinted away from the deputy on foot toward the offramp of I-580. As the deputy caught up to him, Lerude reached into his pocket and threw an object over the fence.

Another deputy located the object, which was methamphetamine and a methamphetamine pipe.

He later admitted to throwing them, and admitted to smoking methamphetamine within two hours of the traffic stop, and recently drinking alcohol. His preliminary breath test produced a .123 result and his evidentiary breath tests were listed as .107 and .109. Lerude was convicted of a first DUI in 2014.

He was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, a felony, possession of drug paraphernalia, DUI 2nd, obstructing and driving with brights on. Bail: $5,298.

In other arrests:
— A 30-year-old Carson City woman was arrested in the area of North Edmonds Drive and Gordon Street on Saturday evening for possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, a felony, suspended registration, and a tail lamp violation.

Amanda Kae Barham was arrested after a Carson City Sheriff's Office Special Enforcement Team deputy in an unmarked car ran her license plate that revealed the registration was suspended. The deputy also observed the right rear tail light was not functioning, the arrest report states.

During the traffic stop, the deputy requested a K-9, and began checking Barham and the passenger through dispatch. K-9 Officer Blue arrived with his handler and did an exterior sniff, which resulted in a positive alert.

The deputies searched the vehicle and found a white round tablet in the front passenger area floorboard, which was determined to be Meprobamate, a schedule 4 narcotic.

Barham could not provide a doctor’s prescription, but according to the police report told deputies, “the vehicle is mine so the tablet is mine.” Bail: $2,684.

— A 39-year-old Carson City man was arrested Saturday morning in the 1800 block of N. Carson Street for allegedly driving on a suspended license, and driving with suspended registration.

According to the police report, deputies conducted a registration check on a vehicle traveling west on E. Long Street, and found it was suspended.

Deputies pulled the vehicle over and found that the man had a non-extraditable warrant out of Washoe County, and his license had been revoked by the DMV. Bail: $749.

— A 28-year-old Carson City woman is facing a gross misdemeanor charge after allegedly taking a vehicle that did not belong to her. The warrant was served for her arrest Sunday evening in the 600 block of W. 3rd Street. Bail: $3,000.

— A 25-year-old Carson City man was transported by Lyon County on an outstanding warrant for failing to a appear in traffic court, a misdemeanor, which resulted in a probation violation, a gross misdemeanor.

The warrant was issued in October of 2017, and deputies confirmed he had an additional high priority hold for violating terms of his probation. He is being held without bail in lieu of a hearing.

— A transient 33-year-old woman was arrested Saturday afternoon in the area of Adams and Stewart streets for a failure to appear in traffic court warrant.

Deputies were originally called for reports of a man swinging a bat in the area. When deputies located the man, they also ran a check on the woman, where it was revealed she had failed to appear in traffic court for a citation in May. Bail: $295 cash only.

All information for the crime log (unless otherwise noted) comes from the arrest reports supplied by the Carson City Sheriff's Office, and is considered by law to be public information. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The policy of Carson Now is to name anyone who is arrested for a felony offense.