The incident involving a Pahrump man assaulting a sheriff’s deputy, leading to a two-day-long police search for the suspect originally started with a series of events regarding the suspect and his estranged wife.
Jeffery Stevens, 46, was arrested Dec. 17 after a struggle with Nye County Sheriff’s deputies. He was transported to the Nye County Detention Center, where he was booked on preliminary charges of stalking / violation of an extended protection order, attempted robbery, battery to commit a crime, battery on a peace officer with substantial bodily harm, resisting arrest, obstruction and battery on a peace officer. He is being held without bail and was scheduled to appear in Pahrump Justice Court on Tuesday after presstime.
A week before his arrest, on Dec. 10 Stevens went to the home of his estranged wife, who has an active extended protective order placed against him, prohibiting him from being at the residence or having contact with the victim and forced her to go to dinner with him and his son. Police reviewed the footage of the victim’s security camera and saw Stevens run up and try to open the woman’s front door, then cover the camera lens with his hand.
Sheriff’s deputies were sent out to the victim’s house again later on Dec. 10, as she heard loud banging on her sliding glass door window. When sheriff’s deputies arrived, they did not locate Stevens in the area.
The next day on Dec. 11, deputies were again dispatched to the woman’s home as she stated that Stevens was at her bedroom window begging for her to let him inside. Dispatch said that they could hear a faint voice that sounded like it was coming from outside on the line, police records said. Upon arrival, police did not locate Stevens.
Then on Dec. 15, a sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to an address on Mayfield Ranch Road for a report of a disturbance. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with the woman who had called the sheriff’s office and learned that Stevens was inside the residence.
When the deputy entered the residence to investigate further, Stevens attacked him, repeatedly punching and beating the law enforcement officer in the head and face.
During the scuffle, Stevens repeatedly tried to remove the deputy’s weapon from its holster.
Stevens had the opportunity to stop fighting and to vacate the area, but he continued to attack the deputy, trying to obtain the gun, according to police.
The deputy was able to protect himself and the victim and himself from further harm, and Stevens eventually concluded the fight and fled the scene. The deputy was transported to Desert View Hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries he sustained in the ambush.
Soon after he left the residence, additional deputies arrived on the scene and began what turned into a two-day search for Stevens.
On the morning of Dec. 17, the sheriff’s office received a 911 call, alerting them that Stevens was threatening someone at a local business with a shotgun under his jacket while looking for his wife, according to witnesses. Stevens is also prohibited from being at the store, according to his protective order, police records stated.
Deputies responded hastily to the business but upon arrival found that Stevens had left on foot prior to their arrival.
While searching for Stevens, NCSO detectives eventually observed him walking through a large parking area near Basin Road and Highway 160.
Additional officers arrived in the area and attempted to make contact with Stevens, to which he again fled on foot, eventually trying to hide in a nearby homeless camp, police said.
Officers continued their search and eventually closed in on him, where he attacked another sheriff’s deputy. Stevens actively fought and resisted all efforts to be taken into custody but he was eventually placed under arrest. He was taken to Desert View Hospital to be treated for minor injuries sustained during his struggle with deputies.
Contact reporter Mick Akers at makers@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @mickakers