Topaz Ranch Estates man arrested

A 60-year-old Topaz Ranch Estates man is in the hospital while his mental state is evaluated after he held deputies at bay for an hour on Wednesday.

Harry Sprouse was taken into custody after nearly two dozen sheriff's officers responded to a call at 3850 Topaz Ranch Road, near the intersection with Albite.

Sprouse and his wife Shelly are owners of the converted mobile home on a three-acre parcel, according to the Douglas County Assessor's Web site.

Shelly Sprouse said her husband was drinking wine and got angry at her for some reason and ran outside with a pistol and a rifle at about 4:07 p.m. Officers responded to a call that Sprouse was suicidal and had threatened his wife.

"He was helping me and drinking wine and all of a sudden he got mad at me," Shelly Sprouse said. "He lost it and said he was going to kill himself. Then he ran out of the house."

The Sprouse home has a long driveway and is set far from the road, with a hill rising above it.

Upon their arrival, deputies took up a position in front of the house and called for backup.

Units including the sheriff's office crisis negotiator and the Special Weapons and Tactics team were called to the community located 22 miles south of Gardnerville.

As officers gathered their forces, Sprouse walked around his yard carrying both weapons. At one point officers reported he was digging a hole behind the house.

Neighbors were asked to leave their homes until the standoff was over.

Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tom Mezzetta said Sprouse approached within 30 yards of officers and refused to lay down his weapons.

"The possibility of 'suicide by cop' was very real," Mezzetta said. "The officers on scene demonstrated great restraint in not using lethal force when challenged by this armed individual."

After about an hour, Sprouse walked down the driveway toward officers with both weapons in hand, yelling as he went.

He kneeled in the driveway holding the rifle to his head and finally laying it aside. Then he drew his pistol and put it down and was taken into custody at about 5:25 p.m.

Sprouse was transported to Douglas County Jail. No one was injured during the standoff.

The case is under review by the Douglas County District Attorney's Office.