Man accused of battering victim second time

A 36-year-old Gardnerville man was being held without bail accused of battering a 24-year-old woman with such force she had to be taken by helicopter to a Reno hospital for evaluaton.

Ronald Troy Sullivan was arrested Jan. 13 after deputies were called to a house on Bluerock by the victim whom they described as hysterical and covered in blood.

Sullivan was on probation after he pleaded guilty last year to battering the same woman.

Deputies said the woman's eyes were nearly swollen shut, her lips were swollen and her clothing covered in blood.

Paramedics dispatched her to Renown Medical Center to determine if she had a skull or facial fractures.

While deputies were questioning the victim, officers went to a residence in the 1400 block of James Road to talk to Sullivan.

The deputies at Bluerock heard over their scanner that he was involved in a struggle with an officer as Sullivan allegedly tried to flee.

Sullivan's two young children also were at the James Road address, but were released to their mother who had to coax them out of the house, according to reports.

When officers arrived at James Road, Sullivan was wrestling with a deputy in the back yard and refused to surrender.

It took nearly half a dozen officers to subdue Sullivan who kicked, bit and punched the deputies.

He was finally hog-tied with a dog leash and carried to a patrol car where he continued to resist.

Deputies said walls in the bedroom and bathroom of the James Road residence were smeared with blood. There also was blood on Sullivan's clothing and bedding and furniture.

East Fork Justice Jim EnEarl set a hearing for Feb. 14 on the new allegations.

Sullivan's probation was revoked and he is serving a sentence on the original charge until mid-March.

n A Topaz Ranch Estates man is set to plead guilty to resisting a public officer with force in connection with a Jan. 3 standoff with deputies at his home.

Harry Sprouse, 60, appeared in East Fork Justice Court on Wednesday.

In return for his plea, charges of assault with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm where others may be endangered are to be dropped.

Justice Jim EnEarl refused to release Sprouse on his own recognizance or lower his $25,000 cash bail prior to his Feb. 12 District Court appearance.

"I don't know what's going on in your life that caused this breakdown," EnEarl said. "I have no objection to a treatment program, but I can't gamble at this point in time. I can't let you out."

EnEarl said he would reconsider if Sprouse can be released directly into a treatment program at the Veterans Hospital.

Lawyer Tod Young said Sprouse, a postal worker, never had a prior incident similar to the January standoff.

He is accused of holding off Douglas County sheriff's deputies with a shotgun and a pistol and begging them to shoot him. He was finally tackled by an officer after he fired a weapon into the air.

There were no injuries.

n The Douglas County Sheriff's Office reported 13 contacts for domestic battery Jan. 10-16.

There were seven verbal domestics, four arrests for domestic battery, one referral to the district attorney for an arrest warrant, and one referral for review or prosecution of violating a protective order.

Ten juveniles witnessed domestic violence.

The Family Support Council submitted one request to East Fork Justice Court for a temporary restraining order which was approved.

Two requests were denied for anti-stalking and harassment orders and one is pending a hearing.

Connie Richardson, Douglas County Sheriff's Office domestic violence prevention coordinator, said the average range for contacts is 12-14 per week for this time of year.

The range for children witnessing domestic violence is 9-11 per week with juvenile suspects at 0-2 per week.