Judge Ron Kent entered a not guilty plea on behalf of a man charged with domestic battery, unlawful use of a controlled substance and aiming a firearm at a human being during an arraignment Aug. 24.
Police arrested Anthony Bonini on Aug. 8 after the man’s father called to report his son assaulted him during an altercation at the residence they shared. The District Attorney’s office filed formal charges Aug. 18
According to the arrest report, the father and son had been arguing over missing property while at the gas pumps of a local convenience store.
The father told police he confronted his son about the missing property, when the argument escalated to the point where Bonini is alleged to have punched his father in the face before pulling out a black pellet gun and leveling the weapon at his father’s face.
The report said the father, fearing he would be shot, got in his car and drove home.
Upon his son’s arrival, the two continued to argue at which point the son allegedly kicked his father’s left leg.
The report stated the arriving sheriff’s deputy questioned the two, while observing behaviors closely associated with drug use.
“I observed him twitching, slurring his speech and he seemed to be experiencing difficulty focusing,” the deputy reported.
When questioned, Bonini said he took two Xanax and smoked pot earlier in the day, as well as popping an Oxycodone on the night of Aug. 7.
The report also stated Bonini admitted to striking his father.
“Your liberty is undoubtedly at risk young man, which means you very well could be going to jail,” Kent said. “I want to make sure your rights are protected and the only way to do that is to make sure you have counsel.”
Christi Kindel, representing the Nye County District Attorney’s office, told Kent she spoke to the suspect’s father who appeared to come to the defense of his son by supporting an OR release.
“From my conversation with the father, he indicated the defendant has some learning disabilities and medical issues that we won’t get into on the record,” she said.
“He’s a good kid and he doesn’t cause any trouble,” the defendant’s father said. “He can probably live with my friend, so there’s a place for him to go.”
“Every time you and your son get into a dispute and the police are called, everybody has to stop what they’re doing and come down and make an arrest,” Kent said. “Now you turn around wanting him released. If you allow him back on your premises and something happens again, that’s what I want to avoid. I don’t want to be wasting limited resources in the community on you and your son.”
Kent reluctantly released Bonini on his own recognizance on the condition that he has no contact with his father, including phone calls, emails or other forms of communication.
“If I find out that you violated this order, you are going back to jail and I will set bail,” he said. “You will remain in jail until this is over with.”
Additionally, Bonini was ordered to stay away from alcohol, illegal drugs and have no further contact with the criminal justice system.