Driver faces attempted murder after deputies say he intentionally hit person with SUV

A couple faces serious charges following an incident at a business in Amargosa Valley.

At approximately 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 23, Nye County deputies were dispatched to Fort Amargosa, 2642 East Highway 95, after a man had allegedly, intentionally hit someone with his SUV.

According to the investigation, which involved interviews and video surveillance footage, Bryan Santana pulled up to the gas station with his girlfriend Kara Guarkee, and parked the SUV directly in front of the building.

“The victim, who has never met the suspect, saw the vehicle and began walking toward the front entrance of the store when they noticed Santana look and smile at him,” according to a Nye County Sheriff’s Office report. “As the victim approached the entrance, Santana is seen on video backing up the SUV and then accelerating toward the victim, pinning him between the vehicle and the store.”

The report went on to state that Santana exited the vehicle and walked away erratically.

“Guarkee then gets out of the vehicle and gets into the driver’s seat, and chases Santana around until he gets back into the vehicle’s passenger seat, just before medics and deputies arrived,” according to the arrest report.

During contact with both suspects, patrol deputies, detectives and the Nevada Highway Patrol, observed Santana and Guarkee making unusual statements about deputies attempting to “gas” Santana, the report stated. Both exhibited “unusual, bizarre, manic and hallucinogenic behavior,” which is consistent with the use of illicit narcotics such as methamphetamine, according to authorities.

A search warrant was granted for Santana’s vehicle.

“During that search, a small black bag was in Santana and Guarkee’s personal belongings,” according to the report. “The bag contained many unloaded and loaded hypodermic needles with an unknown black substance and a clear substance, which in my training, is usually heroin and methamphetamine. Additionally, a small plastic baggie with a crystalline substance, which appeared to be methamphetamine, was located inside the same bag with the needles. It was later tested and showed a presumptive positive for methamphetamine.”

Incoherent ramblings

A phone was recovered during the investigation which allegedly contained a video that was recorded moments after the incident. Santana is seen and heard ranting incoherently and saying goodbye to multiple people, according to the report, while Guarkee is screaming at Santana to get inside the vehicle and leave.

Guarkee continued to yell at Santana until he got inside the vehicle, according to the report. The video stopped there.

Both Santana and Guarkee were placed under arrest and transported to the Nye County Detention Center.

Santana is facing an attempted murder charge, along with DUI, possession of a controlled substance and habitual criminal. His bail amount was set at $95,000.

Guarkee faces a DUI charge, along with possession of a controlled substance and harboring a felony offender. Her bail amount was set at $10,700.

The report did not disclose the condition of the alleged victim.

Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes