COPS: Meth, pills seized in traffic drug bust
Two people were arrested after a traffic stop on a vehicle believed to be involved in the sale of illegal drugs turned up 30 prescription pills and more than three grams of methamphetamine.
According to a declaration of arrest in the case, around 9:45 p.m. Monday, a deputy pulled over a vehicle believed to be involved in narcotics sales in the parking lot near Albertson’s. The blue Chevy Cavalier was stopped for failing to stop at a stop sign and failing to use its turn signal.
The deputy then identified the driver of the vehicle as Michael Augustine and the front passenger as Laura Blankenship. A third party in the back of the car was not listed as one of the people arrested during the incident.
Dispatch informed the deputy that Augustine had warrants out for his arrest, and he was asked to step out of the vehicle. The deputy then noticed a green prescription bottle sitting on the driver’s seat with Blankenship’s name on it, containing what appeared to be plastic packaging baggies.
The deputy then reportedly ordered everyone out of the car, at which time another deputy who had arrived on scene searched Augustine and allegedly found two glass pipes, commonly used to smoke methamphetamine, in a black case in the man’s pocket.
A further search of the vehicle led deputies to find a hard magnetic case containing five zip-lock baggies with a crystalline substance in them and two snort straws used for ingesting methamphetamine.
A black scale was also discovered under the driver’s seat.
Officers then began to search Blankenship’s purse for any illegal items. She allegedly told them Augustine had given her a black pouch and eyeglass case to place in her purse just prior to the traffic stop.
The black pouch inside of her purse allegedly contained a large zip-lock bag containing 30 oxycodone pills, which Blankenship reportedly said she thought Augustine must have stolen from her prescription. Inside the eyeglass case police found another snort straw and a glass pipe.
A further search of the purse allegedly turned up a bye/owe sheet, which is used to document illegal drug sales, and a blue flashlight containing a snort straw and three baggies with a crystalline substance.
Blankenship allegedly said all of those items belonged to Augustine, a statement which he denied, stating what was in her purse belonged to Blankenship. 
Both Augustine and Blankenship were placed under arrest and transported to jail to be booked on charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, possession of a controlled substance methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance oxycodone, possession of drug paraphernalia and conspiracy to violate the uniform controlled substance act.

COPS: Bar fight suspect caught driving under influence
Police arrested one man after he allegedly left the scene of a fight at a local bar and was caught driving while intoxicated nearby.
According to a declaration of arrest in the case, deputies were dispatched to the Maverick Bar and Dance Club on Mesquite Avenue Saturday night for a report of a fight. While one deputy was still making his way to the scene, another deputy at the bar let him know one of the suspects had left the area in a maroon Chevy pickup truck.
The deputy soon saw a truck matching that description turn northbound onto Blagg Road. He began to follow the vehicle, at which time the driver allegedly swerved over the center line.
The driver, later identified as John Laird, was pulled over for suspected drunk driving.  
Laird, who reportedly smelled of an unknown alcoholic beverage, was asked to exit the vehicle and participate in a field sobriety test, which he allegedly failed. It was also learned at that time that Laird did not have a valid driver’s license.
Laird was subsequently placed under arrest and transported to the Nye County Detention Center for DUI.

COPS: Video catches man pushing wife with knife in hand
A fight at a local laundromat led to one man’s arrest Sunday evening.
A Nye County Sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to Dirty Laundry on State Route 160 at 6 p.m. for a report of a fight.
When the deputy arrived, he secured the scene and then began speaking with several of the males involved who reportedly told the officer that a man named Alfred Gonzales was involved in the altercation.
An off-duty deputy who had been at the laundromat at the time of the fight told the other officer Gonzales had been fighting with another male, and had a knife in his hand at the time of the altercation.
Security footage from another nearby store also showed Gonzales allegedly shoving his wife against a wall and pushing her to the ground while holding a knife in his hand as well.
Gonzales was then located and arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and transported to the Nye County Detention Center.

COPS: Phony money nets man free stay in jail
One man was arrested after attempting to pass a counterfeit $100 bill at one store, where he was turned down, and then going to another store to cash it in, before coming back to use the money to play slots at the first store.
According to a declaration of arrest in the case, a Nye County Sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to Horizon Market on Bell Vista Road for a report of fraud on Sept. 27.
When the deputy arrived, the clerk reportedly told him the suspect, Robert Lieberman, who was sitting in the store playing slots, had attempted to pass a counterfeit $100 bill.
The clerk said he told Lieberman the bill was a fake, at which time Lieberman allegedly went to the Horizon Market on Linda Street to try to pass it again, and then returned to the Bell Vista Road location to begin playing slots with the money he had gotten from the other location.
The deputy then spoke with Lieberman, whose story reportedly changed several times. He first said he had gotten the bill from a bar, and then said he had gotten it a few days before when he won slots at the Linda Street Horizon Market. Finally, he told the deputy he had gotten it from someone named Nick.
Lieberman was then placed under arrest and transported to the Nye County Detention Center.

COPS: Wrestling couple curses cop, arrested for indecent exposure
Two people were arrested for indecent exposure after a witness called police telling them there was a male and female out in the desert wrestling last Friday.
According to a declaration of arrest in the case, a deputy was dispatched to the area of Eats Street and Wilson Road around 5 p.m. for a report of a male and female in the desert possibly wrestling.
When the deputy arrived, there was a female, later identified as Shann Prince, lying down in the desert. She was reportedly laying there without a shirt on and cursed the deputy, that she wasn’t doing anything wrong.
Prince was allegedly lying next to a man named Cliffton, who was pulling up his underwear and pants when the deputy arrived on scene. He too reportedly told the deputy they had done nothing wrong.
Both parties were arrested for indecent exposure and transported to jail to be booked on the charges.