Deputies responded to a home in the 800 block of Long Valley Road on Friday after a 25-year-old Dayton man accidentally shot himself in the leg with a .45-caliber handgun.
Anthony Melendrez told officers he had been shooting the gun at the Gardnerville Ranchos sandpits and decided to remove the bullets because he was visiting friends with small children.
He was sitting in the driver's seat of his car when the weapon accidentally discharged, according to reports.
When deputies arrived shortly after 9 p.m., Melendrez was sitting in a chair outside the residence in blood-soaked jeans and shoes.
Deputies said Melendrez's speech was slurred. A preliminary breath test indicated his blood-alcohol content was .128, more than the legal limit of .08 for driving in Nevada.
The couple whom Melendrez was visiting said he went out to his vehicle and they heard screaming. They went outside to investigate and saw Melendrez crawling toward the residence.
The bullet entered the back of Melendrez's lower left leg 4 inches below the knee and exited 5 inches above the ankle before going through the car door.
Deputies found the handgun on the seat of Melendrez's vehicle and a box of ammunition. They also found the bullet that injured Melendrez.
An officer positioned himself in the car and determined that the victim's account of the accident was accurate.
He said in his report there was no evidence that Melendrez was shot by anyone else and said the incident appeared to have been caused by Melendrez's intoxicated state.
