Ken Furlong

Founding father Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong has identified a problem in the state capital, and he has proposed a way to solve it, taking Franklin’s advice to heart.

“There are a ton of veterans in this town that no one knows they’re here,” Furlong told a panel of community members Thursday afternoon at the Carson City Sheriff’s Office, making specific note of the problem of homelessness among Carson City’s veteran population.

UPDATE: 11:48PM: At least one person inside an apartment was injured after being struck by a vehicle the caused a gas leak in the 600 block of Old Hot Spring Road. The crash forced the evacuation of 15 to 20 people before the broken gas lines were sealed.
The male adult victim was taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries, said Carson City Sheriff's Office Sgt. Scott McDaniel.
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A fireworks event that happened Saturday night at the Carson City Airport caught many by surprise, including Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong.

Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong released the following information regarding Thursday night's fatal crash at Carson City Airport following a vehicle pursuit involving a stolen pickup: At 7:48 p.m., the Carson City Sheriff’s Office received reports of a “hit and run” accident in the area of Brown Street and Edmonds Drive in east Carson City.

UPDATE 9:12PM: Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong confirmed a deputy in a patrol vehicle was hit by the suspect vehicle near the Maverik gas station in the 1400 block of College Parkway during the pursuit. The deputy was uninjured. The suspect who died after being ejected when he crashed through the gates at Carson City Airport and slammed into a hanger, has not been identified.
The crash is being investigated by the Nevada Highway Patrol.
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UPDATE 8:30PM: The suspect's vehicle, a pickup, that was involved in the hit and run pursuit and was stolen, crashed into a hangar at the Carson City Airport. The suspect died at the scene.
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A vehicle chase involving several Carson City sheriff's deputies ended when the suspect blew through the gates at Carson City Airport, rolled the vehicle several times and died at the scene.

A Carson City man is in custody after a hit and run pedestrian crash last week on Highway 50 and Brown Street that resulted in the death of the victim, said Carson City sheriff Ken Furlong.

Juan Pablo Rios, 37, was charged with felony failure to stop at the scene of an accident involving personal Injury or death, a category B felony. Bail was set at $50,000. Rios was booked Tuesday into the Carson City Jail. The victim, Gustova Garcia-Valdes, 52, died as a result of injuries.

UPDATE: Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong said Monday the murder investigation of Grant Watkins continues and there could be additional arrests.

"The investigation has well determined that a group of young men set out to rob Watkins of approximately 3 ounces of marijuana, and in the course of the event, Watkins was killed by gunfire along-side a neighborhood park," said Furlong. "In addition to the arrests, Detectives have executed search warrants at four residences and one rural environment, as well as the crime scene area. While the Sheriff’s Office believes that the core of the offenders has already been arrested, other arrests could come later as details of lateral involvement are made clear."
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A 20-year-old Dayton man was arrested in connection with the Jan. 11 murder of a Carson City man during a late night drug deal that erupted in gunfire near a subdivision park, a Carson City sheriff’s lieutenant said.

Michael Fondi, a former Nevada First District Court Judge in Carson City, died at his home this morning, according to Fitzhenry’s Funeral Home. He was 78.

Fondi had been in home hospice care when he died, said Fitzhenry’s General Manager and Funeral Director Jim Smolenski. No funeral arrangements have been made at this time and will be forthcoming.

A fifth person tied to the Monday murder of an 18-year-old Carson City man was taken into custody Friday, Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong said.

Late Friday afternoon, the Carson City Justice Court issued an arrest warrant for Jonathan Skenandore, 18, on the charges of accessory to murder, a category C felony, accessory to robbery, a category C felony, and conspiracy to commit robbery, a category B felony. He is the latest to be arrested in connection with the early morning fatal shooting of Grant Watkins near a park in north Carson City.

A 19-year-old Carson City man has been charged with accessory to murder and robbery in the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old man early Monday during a drug deal, said Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong late Thursday.

Jacob Huttman is the fourth person to be arrested for his involvement with the fatal shooting of Grant Watkins.

A 21-year-old Carson City man was arrested late Tuesday on multiple charges including first degree murder and murder with robbery in the Monday shooting death of an 18-year-old man during a drug deal near a north Carson City park, Sheriff Ken Furlong said.

Friends of Grant Watkins, the victim in Monday's fatal shooting, have created a Go Fund Me page to raise money for the family.

The page was launched Monday with a goal of $10,000 needed to help with burial and other expenses for the family of the slain 18-year-old Carson City man. A family friend noted Grant’s mother is a local caregiver and the family has been struggling financially.

UPDATE 5:19PM: Two brothers were booked on murder charges in the shooting death of an 18-year-old Carson City man early Monday morning following a drug transaction that turned violent on the north side of Carson City.

Jesus Garcia-Manriquez, 18, and Allen Garcia-Manriquez, 19, were booked into Carson City Jail on charges of principal to murder in the shooting death of Grant Watkins, 18, of Carson City.

UPDATE 5:19PM: Two brothers were booked on murder charges in the shooting death of an 18-year-old Carson City man early Monday morning following a drug transaction that turned violent on the north side of Carson City.

Jesus Garcia-Manriquez, 18, and Allen Garcia-Manriquez were booked into Carson City Jail on charges of principal to murder in the shooting death of Grant Watkins, 18, of Carson City.

UPDATE 9:48AM: Three people are in custody this morning in connection with a fatal shooting in north Carson City. This story has been updated. Go here for information about the arrests.
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UPDATE 641AM: The investigation into the early Monday morning shooting that left one person dead during an apparent drug transaction continues with detectives working all angles in the investigation, said Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong. He reports the following details:

Santa Claus will be delivering presents tonight to girls and boys throughout the capital city, but unfortunately due to the bad weather, he won’t be guided by Carson City sheriff’s reserve officers.

UPDATE SATURDAY: The Polar Express is back up and running and will run on its regular rides this weekend through Tuesday night, said Candy Duncan, spokeswoman for the V&T.
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UPDATE 11:05PM: All passengers, including Santa Claus and helpers, have been safely removed from the disabled V&T train Friday night and were taken by shuttle buses to the Carson City depot. The train stalled north of Linehan Road in Lyon County. Carson City dispatch received the call at 9:20pm that the train was disabled with more than 240 passengers. There were no injuries and the passengers were in good spirits, said Sgt. Scott McDaniel.
A diesel engine pushed the disabled train and passenger cars back to the Carson City depot.

Carson City area law enforcement officials and the Carson City District Attorney announced Friday the issuance of a DNA arrest warrant for the shooter who fired bullets into the home of Carson City Judge John Tatro and his wife in December 2012.

Officials on Tuesday unveiled a nine-mile stretch of the Carson City freeway in honor of Carson City Sheriff's Office Deputy Carl Howell who died in the line of duty August 15, 2015.

The ceremony Tuesday at the Nevada Law Enforcement Officers Memorial on the state capitol grounds featured remarks from Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, Nevada Department of Transportation Director Rudy Malfabon, Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong, Mayor Bob Crowell and Kevin Howell, father of Carl Howell.

The Carson City Sheriff’s Office urges morning commuters not to leave their vehicles unattended with their engines running. Around 6:30 a.m. Friday a black two-door Honda Accord was stolen from a Pheasant Drive residence as the vehicle owner stepped away from his running car.

A well positioned presence of Carson City sheriff’s officers patrolled areas across the Carson High campus Wednesday afternoon, a day after a fight broke out after school that resulted in three arrests when investigators viewed video of the incident. Allegations have been made the fight was racially motivated.

UPDATE 12:35 p.m.: The substance that led to the closure of the Carson City Sheriff's Office this morning has been identified as a gypsum-type material, according to Sheriff Ken Furlong.

Barricades on East Musser Street have been lifted and the road to the sheriff's office is open. The front office will open sometime after 1:30 p.m., said Furlong.

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The Carson City Sheriff’s Office is closed this morning after a woman brought in a package from China that contained an undetermined white powdery substance.

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc granted $5,000 to the Community Counseling Center in Carson City to help improve the quality of life in our community.

The Center wrote a request for support in its work in the jail as a member of the Forensic Assessment Treatment Team which aids in providing substance abuse evaluations and treatment for people in custody. The Center also provides seven recovery groups in the Carson City jail.

A 4-year-old Carson City boy was hospitalized Friday night after ingesting methamphetamine that allegedly belonged to the boy's father who is now custody on suspicion of child endangerment, said Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong.

Taken into custody was Pedro Montanez, 27, on suspicion of child endangerment and possession of trafficking levels of a controlled substance.

They don't call him "Wheels" without a reason. And Friday was Deputy Wayne Wheeler's day in ceremony, getting pinned with a Winged Wheel that now makes him an official member of the Carson City Sheriff's Office motorcycle patrol team. He received his motor wings in a brief ceremony at the sheriff's administrative office.

UPDATE 415PM: Evacuations have been lifted in the industrial park area near the chemical fire earlier today off of Lockheed Way. Those who left their vehicles in the area, can now safely go back to pick them up. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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The Bubba Love Sponge Foundation and a national bicycle organization, in cooperation with KRZQ 104.1 FM Reno and law enforcement across the region presented the Carl Howell family two checks Tuesday as part of the Bikes for Badges motorcycle run held in October.

The Carson City Board Supervisors signed off unanimously Thursday on a federal grant that will allow for the formation of a School Resource Officer Program run through the sheriff’s office and the Carson City School District.

With Halloween festivities celebrated Friday in Carson City and Nevada Day arriving Saturday, Carson City experienced very few problems associated with festivities, sheriff Ken Furlong said.

“This weekend was an enormous success in that we had very few incidents to speak of requiring intervention during the parade, during Halloween activities and during the carnival,” said Furlong. “With the number of very well organized activities, families, participants and viewers had a lot of fun without crossing the line. I’m really pleased with that.”

The Carson City Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident at Mark Twain Elementary School on Wednesday where a 7-year-old boy picked up a teddy bear with five hypodermic needles. The boy was stuck with one of the needles, which was then tested and found positive for methamphetamine.