Suspect in chase up for house arrest

Carson City officials have until 6 p.m. today to pick up Fidel Fuentes, arrested last month in connection with an assault on a Washoe Tribal Police officer, or the 24-year-old man will be released from Douglas County Jail on house arrest.

East Fork Justice Jim EnEarl said Friday that the Carson City man could be released pending an April 20 preliminary hearing on charges of possession of stolen property and obstructing a police officer.

Fuentes has been in custody on $35,500 bail since his arrest March 12 in connection with the incident in Indian Hills.

He was a passenger in a vehicle reportedly driven by Robert Michael Hernandez, 20.

Hernandez, of Carson City, is accused of driving a sport utility vehicle into a Washoe Tribal Police cruiser. There were no injuries.

Hernandez remains at large, the subject of a nationwide arrest warrant. He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and felony eluding.

Upon his arrest, Hernandez is to be held on $100,000 cash bail.

Hernandez allegedly drove the SUV into the tribal police cruiser and toward one of the officers before he and a passenger, identified as Fuentes, fled the vehicle on foot.

The officer, who was uninjured, fired three shots at the SUV.

The preliminary hearing - to determine if there is enough evidence to bind Fuentes over to Douglas County District Court - has been delayed two weeks in a row because of unavailability of prosecution witnesses.

Defense lawyer Derrick Lopez asked Friday for another week's delay because he will be unavailable.

Lopez said Fuentes, who did not waive his right to speedy proceedings, agreed to the third delay if he could be released.

EnEarl agreed that the delays were not caused by the defendant.

"You may have done this. I don't know," EnEarl told Fuentes, referring to the criminal allegations. "You haven't contributed to any of this fiasco that has occurred here (in court) so far."

Carson City officials placed a hold on Fuentes on a failure to appear allegation. He was available last week, but officials didn't pick him up, so EnEarl set the Sunday deadline.