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Let this be a lesson to those who don’t like the infiltration of visitors in their area. On October 15th, a Washoe County SWAT team was brought in to deal with an individual who may have been struggling with just this scenario.
David Garfield of Fish Springs allegedly blocked the road in front of his home with his car and “shot at” the vehicles stuck there.
Usually a remote rural area in the high desert country about 150 miles north of Reno, the area was hosting the annual High Sierra Fly In, dubbed “a celebration of backcountry aviation at a gathering of like-minded individuals in the beautiful Nevada desert – an experience unlike anywhere else on the planet.”
Apparently, Mr. Garfield was not one of these like-minded souls and may have taken his discontent too far. According to witnesses, he took to firing weapons multiple times in the air to intimidate the motorists who were stuck there on the blocked roadway. His victims, no doubt, were not counting on this particular kind of “experience.”
He is now being held without bail in the Washoe County jail on four felony charges: one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon and three felony counts of child endangerment since some of the blocked cars contained small children.
Nevada statute NRS 200.471 defines assault as “unlawfully attempting to use physical force against another person, or intentionally placing another person in reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm.” While an assault is the threat of action, battery is the action. Assault with a deadly weapon, of course, is assault using a weapon.
But “deadly weapon” doesn’t even need to be a firearm. Nevada courts have ruled in cases where the deadly weapon was a sword, an unloaded pistol that was used to bludgeon someone, a switchblade knife, and even a BB gun.
Any device that is used or threatened to be used that can cause significant bodily harm or death can qualify as a deadly weapon, depending on the circumstances surrounding the case. In Nevada, assault with a deadly weapon is a Category B felony and can carry from one to six years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.
While the Dead Cow Lakebed is private property and has hosted the High Sierra Fly In over the years, it seems as if not all locals are happy about the thousands of visitors it brings each year. As for Mr. Garfield, he may want to find other ways of showing his discontent once he has resolved his legal issues.
Although you may not have found yourself in a similar situation as Mr. Garfield, assault with a deadly weapon is a serious charge. If you need skilled legal defense guidance,
Nicholas Wooldridge and the criminal defense team at LV Criminal Defense can help. Call us to schedule a no-cost consultation.
