A Spanish Springs resident chased an attempted vehicle burglar off over the weekend. Deputies searched the surrounding area and located the suspect, recovering a loaded firearm from a bush and arresting a 30-year-old man on multiple charges. Washoe County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a report of an attempted vehicle burglary outside a residence in the neighborhood, kicking off a search that spanned at least two properties before the suspect was caught.
According to mynews4.com, the suspect was chased off by a resident and later observed at a separate property, where he fled by jumping over a backyard fence. Deputies eventually located him near W. Calle De La Plata and Spruce Meadows Drive and identified him as 30-year-old Nicholas Smith, per the same report.
Suspect Drops Loaded Gun During Confrontation
The encounter turned tense once deputies caught up with Smith. He reached toward his pockets during contact with deputies and fell backward into a nearby bush, discarding a loaded firearm that deputies subsequently recovered, the outlet's report states. No further detail on the exact sequence of that struggle was provided in the available reporting.
Smith was arrested on multiple charges stemming from the encounter. Those charges include carrying a concealed firearm without a permit, possession of a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, and possession of a dangerous drug without a prescription, the station's report notes.
Neighborhood on Alert After Latest Incident
The case adds to a string of property-crime concerns that have surfaced periodically in Spanish Springs. A separate investigation years earlier, detailed by the Washoe County Sheriff's Office, involved multiple vehicle burglaries reported in the Estates at Pebble Creek neighborhood, with detectives seeking help identifying three suspects at the time.
The Washoe County Sheriff's Office also shared details of this latest arrest in a post on Facebook, noting that deputies responded over the weekend to the report of an attempted vehicle burglary outside the Spanish Springs residence.
