Carson City arrests: Man using flamethrower to remove weeds booked for obstruction

A 51-year-old man was arrested Sunday for obstruction and two counts burning without a fire permit after allegedly using a flamethrower to remove weeds on his property, according to a Carson City Sheriff's Office booking report.

At 5:23 p.m. deputies were alerted by dispatch after receiving a report that a man was using a flamethrower to burn weeds. Officers arrived at the address and spoke with the man who refused to identify himself, according to the booking report. He stated he was not doing anything wrong and was just burning weeds on his property.

The deputy observed that the man's backyard had several weeds that were burnt. He had black marks on the back of his feet that appeared to be from the weeds he was walking through. The man refused to speak with deputies or identify himself after several attempts, the arrest report states.

A deputy informed the man he was obstructing the investigation and must identify himself because there was reasonable suspicion to believe he was burning without a permit, the report states.

The man still refused to identify himself and was placed in handcuffs. While escorting the man to a patrol car he yelled at his wife to not identify herself and to close the door to the house, the report states. The man's wife later stated she told the man to burn the weeds because their vet told her to burn the weeds due to a condition their dog had, according to the report.

The man provided officers with his name in the patrol vehicle and claimed he did not have identify himself until after the officer told him what crime he committed.

A deputy spoke with a neighbor who said their property was burned as a result of the man's fire. Deputies photographed the damaged property.

The man was taken to jail without incident and booked on two counts of suspicion of burning without a permit and obstructing an investigation. Bail: $1,711 bondable.

In other arrests:
— A 45-year-old Carson City man was arrested Sunday for suspicion of driving with a revoked license for DUI. Bail: $1,137.

— A 44-year-old Carson City man was arrested Sunday for misdemeanor suspicion of trespassing. According to the booking report, the man had been previously trespassed from a casino and had been on the property. Bail: $242.

— A 33-year-old Carson City man was arrested June 24 for a misdemeanor violation of a suspended sentence warrant issued May 12, 2022 out of Carson City Justice Court. Bail: $3,000.

— A 53-year-old Carson City man was arrested June 25 for suspicion of domestic battery with one prior conviction.

According to the booking report, deputies responded to a domestic battery call from a reporting party and made contact with the victim who had fresh marks, bruising and blood on her face. The suspect was also inside the home.

Deputies met with victim, who had difficulties speaking and an odor of alcohol coming from her person. The woman stated she had gotten the injuries two days prior and then changed her story and had stated she had fallen down outside and that she caused the marks herself, the report states.

After speaking with the reporting party, officers on scene believed the male suspect to be the primary aggressor. He was read his Miranda warning and agreed to speak and stated he was unable to locate the woman, asked for a neighbor to help find her and then located her back at the apartment. He was unable to answer a question as to the injuries the woman had, the report states. Bail: $5,000.

— A 29-year-old Reno woman was arrested Sunday for a warrant out of Reno and for suspicion of DUI, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving without a valid license and driving without insurance. Bail: $3,178.

— A 21-year-old Carson City man was arrested Sunday for suspicion of DUI, failure to maintain a lane, hit and run and unable to provide current proof of insurance.

According to the booking report, deputies responded at 4:11 a.m. to a vehicle crash in the 1000 block of Saliman Road.

Deputies were alerted the vehicle involved had left the scene and was going south on Saliman Road. The crashed vehicle was being followed by the reporting party and was said the suspect was driving the vehicle on its rim with airbags deployed.

Deputies located the vehicle near the intersection of Little Lane and Saliman Road. The suspect vehicle had major damage to the driver side and side airbags were deployed. The left front tire was on its rim. The vehicle that followed the crash was behind it and there were three people standing outside the vehicles when officers arrived, the report states.

Deputies arrived and observed a male subject who was bleeding and asked him what happened. The man replied "drunk driving" and admitted to being the driver of the vehicle. He declined medical attention. He said he was the only occupant in he vehicle at the time of the crash, in which he said he crashed into a tree near a church. The man was identified by his license.

Deputies spoke with a reporting party who was the person who followed the suspect. he stated he was at home when he heard a loud crash and then saw the suspect vehicle driving away with airbags deployed. He said another neighbor got in his vehicle and followed the suspect vehicle.

Deputies observed the suspect was slurring his words and had red watery eyes. He told the officer he had consumed a cranberry vodka at a bar. The suspect conducted field sobriety tests and showed signs of impairment. Bail: $2,598.

— 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.