Pahrump man accused of throwing rock at Nye County sheriff’s vehicle
Monday, Nov. 13 appeared to be a noneventful day for Nye County Sheriff’s Lt. James McRae as he was parked near the Bob Ruud Community Center, attempting to locate a female related to an earlier service call at Walmart.
As McRae continued to wait, he observed a white male, later identified as James Lewis Fritts, 19, of Pahrump walking north from the Albertsons Shopping Center toward the front of the community center.
The deputy noted that at the time, Fritts was looking at both McRae and his patrol vehicle as he proceeded past the front of the community center.
Shortly thereafter, the deputy heard an object strike his marked patrol pickup truck just before 4 p.m.
“I looked back toward the community center and saw Fritts approximately 30 feet behind my truck,” McRae noted in his report. “While observing Fritts, he reached down to the decorative rock planter area and picked up a small rock and threw it at my truck, hitting it.”
As a result of the alleged action, McRae then proceeded to confront Fritts as he detained him to assess the damage to the vehicle.
“I observed a scratch to the passenger rear portion of my truck, above the decal, approximately two inches in size, and also a gouge out of the decal on the passenger rear door of my truck,” he said. “Fritts was taken into custody for the damage to my truck.”
During that time, McRae contacted Lt. Eric Murphy, who is in charge of the sheriff’s office vehicle fleet to obtain information related to the damage of the truck.
“He estimated it at approximately $1,800 damage, due to his experience in outfitting these types of vehicles,” McRae said. “Deputy Sandoval transported Fritts to jail, but prior to transport, she observed behavior that led her to believe Fritts was under the influence of a controlled substance.”
McRae’s report went on to state that Fritts consented to a urine test on scene and also signed his consent at the Nye County Detention Center.
Fritts’ urine test ultimately came back presumptively positive for methamphetamine and marijuana, according to the report.
He was charged with being under the influence of meth and throwing a substance at a vehicle.
Bail was set at $8,000.
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes
