Victim says man yanked keys from ignition at 60 mph

A 28-year-old Carson City man was charged with domestic battery and child endangerment after the victim said he pulled the keys from the ignition while she was driving 60 mph on Highway 395 on July 4.

The woman said Rudy James Nevarez, a passenger in the vehicle, was angry because she refused to stop to purchase alcohol and cigarettes.

According to deputies, the woman called 911, but Nevarez reportedly grabbed her shoulder and took the cell phone.

Deputies responded to the call and found the vehicle stopped in the fast lane of Highway 395 near Muller Lane about 7:30 p.m.

By the time deputies arrived, another motorist had stopped traffic to allow the woman and her daughter to cross the highway to get away from Nevarez, who was walking southbound.

She told deputies they had been at a party at Topaz Lake and Nevarez had been drinking all day.

She was driving back to their home in Carson City when he became angry because she refused to stop.

When he pulled the keys out, the woman said she lost the power-assisted brakes and steering, but was able to stop the car without losing control.

Nevarez originally was jailed on $53,000 bail but was released Friday on house arrest with orders to stay away from the victim and their daughter.

He is to appear in East Fork Justice Court on Aug. 1.

-- An 18-year-old Gardnerville man was charged with possession of stolen property after he said a 14-year-old acquaintance let him borrow a loaded semiautomatic handgun the younger boy reportedly stole from his grandfather.

Jose Castro, 18, is to appear in East Fork Justice Court on Wednesday.

The gun owner, who has legal custody of the 14-year-old, was alerted to the theft of the weapons after he found pictures Tuesday on his computer of the youth holding the gun.

The man said he kept the weapons locked in his bedroom to keep them away from the boy, who reportedly had stolen items before.

When the youth, who was spending the night at his mother's house in the Gardnerville Ranchos, was questioned by deputies, he denied stealing the weapons, a .380 Bersa semiautomatic and a .357 SIG Springfield Armory XD semiautomatic with two fully loaded magazines.

Eventually, the boy directed deputies to Castro.

Castro turned over the Bersa which he said the youth offered to sell for $250. When Castro said he didn't have the money, the boy reportedly said Castro could have the gun for two days.

Castro told deputies he took the weapon because he didn't think a 14-year-old should have a gun.

He denied knowing anything about the second weapon.

Castro also faces a charge of minor consuming stemming from an April incident.