A Las Vegas man who allegedly crashed into a Nevada State Police cruiser while under the influence, injuring the officer inside, was arrested less than half an hour later — asleep at a casino slot machine. The incident has drawn attention to Nevada's ongoing struggles with impaired driving and the unique challenges law enforcement faces in a city where casinos operate around the clock.
Mark Guyot, 51, drove away after hitting the cruiser but was taken into custody about 20 minutes later at the Silverton Casino, according to 8 News Now. He is charged with DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm, hit-and-run, and failure of duties when approaching a traffic incident.
The Crash and Chase
The incident began on Tuesday evening around 11:45 p.m. when a trooper was investigating a two-car injury crash on Interstate 15 southbound, north of the 215 Southern Beltway, when his cruiser was struck by a pickup truck. 8 News Now reported that the trooper suffered a cut to his head and a neck injury from the collision.
Guyot left the scene in his pickup truck, prompting a short manhunt that concluded at the Silverton Casino, located at 3333 Blue Diamond Road in southwest Las Vegas.
Found at the Slots
When officers located Guyot at the casino, troopers reported he smelled of alcohol, mumbled speech, and had bloodshot, watery eyes. Adding to the evidence against him, two empty bottles of whiskey were found behind the driver's seat of his vehicle, though the Clark County District Attorney's Office dropped those charges and kept the most serious charges.
Guyot told NSP he knew he had hit something, but didn't know what it was, according to the arrest report. Guyot's bail was set at $100,000, and records show he is no longer in the Clark County Detention Center after posting bond.
Nevada's Sleeping DUI Laws
Nevada law allows for DUI charges even when a person isn't actively driving. As detailed by Hofland & Tomsheck, a person who is sleeping in a parked car may be convicted of a DUI if the individual is indeed intoxicated and the keys are in the car's ignition. A sleeping person is still considered to be in control of a parked car, under Nevada law, if the keys are in the ignition.
This legal principle is especially applicable in casino environments, where individuals may consume alcohol and choose to sleep in their vehicles instead of driving under the influence.
Broader Context of DUI Enforcement
The incident occurred during a period of heightened DUI enforcement in Las Vegas. Just this week, according to 8 News Now, Carlos Lee, 41, is charged with driving under the influence, resulting in substantial bodily harm after a fatal hit-and-run crash. Lee has three prior convictions, a 2020 DUI, and has previously failed to appear in court.
The Silverton Casino, where Guyot was arrested, has more than 1,100 slot machines and operates 24 hours a day like most Las Vegas gaming establishments, creating environments where individuals may remain for extended periods while potentially consuming alcohol.
