Pahrump man is facing firearm-related charges

A Pahrump man is facing several serious charges following his arrest last week.

As stated in a video news release, the Nye County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation began on the night of June 29 in the parking lot of the Who’s Dunes bar on Nevada Highway 372.

“Upon arrival, detectives observed a red sedan parked in front of the bar with several spent shell casings on the ground, next to the driver’s side door,” Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Ann Horak said in the release. “Several yards west, there was a gold Crown Victoria, with additional spent shell casings next to the driver’s side door.

The driver of the red sedan was identified as Edward Coronado, 63, of Pahrump, who had been transported to UMC Trauma in Las Vegas for treatment of gunshot wounds.”

Horak also said that the driver of the Crown Victoria, who was still on scene, told detectives that at approximately 11:15 p.m, he was at home when his younger brother came running into the house upset.

“The younger brother said that he had been walking past the Family Dollar on Charleston Park, when a man in a red sedan stopped next to him, yelled at him and cocked a pistol,” she said. “The driver then called 911 and left his residence in the Crown Victoria driving toward Family Dollar. He located Coronado in the red sedan near Family Dollar and began following him while on the line with dispatchers.”

Horak went on to say that Coronado began driving eastbound on Highway 372. The pursuit ended in the parking lot of the Who’s Dunes bar, where Coronado allegedly exited his vehicle with a pistol in his hand.

“The reporting party then grabbed his pistol, exited the vehicle, and reported to dispatchers that Coronado was aiming a gun at him,” Horak noted. “Coronado began firing shots and the reporting party took cover behind his car door, before firing back. Detectives were initially unable to locate Coronado at UMC Trauma for an interview as it was discovered that he checked in under a false name.”

Horak also said that once detectives located Coronado, he invoked his right to remain silent, and the interview was terminated.

“A criminal history check of Coronado revealed that he had several felony convictions out of California, including firearm-related offenses,” she said. “A witness at Who’s Dunes reported to detectives that Coronado was a regular at the bar and that he’d been drinking alcohol prior to the shooting.”

As a result, Horak said an arrest warrant was issued for Coronado. He was located and taken into custody on the warrant on July 5, where he was booked into the Nye County Detention Center and charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, assault with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm in or upon a public thoroughfare.

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