The Nye County Sheriff’s Office has released details involving an arrest where at least three deputies were hospitalized.
As stated in the official arrest report prepared by investigator Alexander Cox, sheriff’s office deputies Michael Connelly and Amanda Head, on Tuesday, July 30, observed a gray Ford F-150 truck traveling eastbound on Santovito Street near Quarter Horse Avenue.
Both deputies conducted a traffic stop on the driver, identified as Joshua Thompson, for failure to maintain his travel lane.
“The vehicle pulled into a dirt driveway located on Santovito Street,” the report stated. “Deputy Michalean Soprano arrived on scene to assist with the traffic stop.
Deputies on scene obtained consent from Thompson to search his vehicle, where Deputy Connelly located a baggie of suspected cocaine and a “Hide a Can,” that contained multiple baggies of suspected illegal narcotics inside the vehicle. Deputy Head requested that I respond to the traffic stop to assist with the narcotics investigation.”
Making a run for it
As the deputies were waiting for Cox to arrive, Thompson allegedly fled the traffic stop on foot, according to the report.
“Thompson resisted arrest by tensing his body up and not showing his hands to deputies when asked,” the report stated. “Thompson was caught by all three deputies on scene. Upon my arrival, I observed deputies walking Thompson back to the traffic stop in handcuffs.”
Medics summoned
At that time, the report noted that Deputy Soprano told Cox that he did not feel well.
“I immediately began assisting him,” Cox noted in the report. “Deputies advised me that a jar was opened in the vehicle that contained possible fentanyl. I summoned medical attention for Deputy Soprano and Thompson. While waiting on medical personnel, Deputy Head and Deputy Connelly stated that they did not feel well. All three deputies stated that they were dizzy and were having a hard time breathing. I took custody of the suspected cocaine.”
Cox, according to the report, read Thompson his Miranda Rights and advised him that he was under arrest.
Unlucky find
“Thompson advised me that the small baggie was cocaine and that the jar containing the unknown white substance was unknown to him and that he found it at the Electric Daisy Carnival, which is a well-known “rave party” spanning over several days where illegal drugs are ingested, including cocaine and fentanyl.” according to Cox’s report.
Additionally, the report stated that Thompson’s speech was rapid, and he was sweating profusely.
“His face was sunk in and had marks,” Cox noted in the report. “Through numerous narcotics investigations, I recognized the signs and symptoms to be consistent with the suspects that are under the influence of narcotics. Thompson later stated to me that he used cocaine earlier in the day. All three deputies and Thompson were transported to Desert View Hospital. Nye County hazmat was requested to the scene to field test the unknown white substance.”
Girlfriend speaks
While awaiting the arrival of the hazmat team, Cox said a white female adult walked out of the Santovito Street residence.
“She stated that she was Thompson’s girlfriend and resided at the residence,” Cox noted. “We explained what was going on and that we were concerned that the deputies were exposed to fentanyl. The female stated the Thompson does suboxone and cocaine.”
Suboxone is a prescribed medication used to treat adults who are addicted to opioid drugs.
Authorities obtained a telephonic search warrant from Pahrump Justice of the Peace Lisa Chamlee to search the vehicle for narcotics and to obtain blood samples from Thompson for evidentiary testing, the report stated.
“Nye County Hazmat opened up the Hide a Can for further examination. Detective Logan Gibbs documented this entire process,” Cox said in the report. “The Hide a Can contained three baggies that contained an unknown broken green pill, a broken pill capsule that contained an unknown white powder and suspected methamphetamine.”
The report went on to state that the Nye County hazmat team was not able to identify the unknown green pill and the broken pill capsule that contained the unknown white powder.
It is what it is
The hazmat team however, was able to identify the suspected methamphetamine to be methamphetamine, as well as the baggie of suspected cocaine to be cocaine, the report noted.
The drugs were placed into custody for further testing and booking.
Additionally, after treatment at Desert View Hospital, Thompson was transported to the Nye County Detention Center by Deputy Williamson accordingly, without further incident.
The three hospitalized deputies are recovering from the incident.
Thompson, meanwhile, faces two counts of possession of a controlled substance, one count of being under the influence of a controlled substance, one count of resisting, and one count of making a false statement to obstruct a public officer.
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes