Carson City man jailed on felony methamphetamine trafficking, domestic battery charges

A 48-year-old Carson City man was arrested early Saturday morning on felony drug trafficking and domestic battery charges after a K9 found a large quantity of methamphetamine outside a home where a woman had been beaten and choked, a Carson City sheriff’s deputy said.

Juan Morales, also known as Joaquin Aguirre-Hernandez, was arrested at 12:08 a.m. in the 2700 block of Merrimac Way after officers responded to the residence and spoke with the victim who showed them injuries to her face and neck consistent with being hit and choked. She affirmed it was done by the suspect, Morales, saying she was tired of his drinking and drug use, the arrest report states.

Morales, who was at the residence at the time, failed to open the door when officers knocked several times. The victim instead opened the door and gave officers permission to enter the residence, the arrest report states. After interviewing her, she walked to a nightstand and showed officers a pill bottle.

Inside the bottle was approximately two grams of methamphetamine in plastic bag wrappings, the arrest report states. Officers asked Morales about the pill bottle and he said it was his as well as the meth inside, the arrest report states.

The victim, who owned the residence, gave officers permission to search the home and grounds with a K9. The dog, Tarzan, gave a positive alert on an ice chest cooler inside an unlocked shed in the back yard of the residence. Officers opened the cooler and discovered approximately 10 ounces of methamphetamine, valued at around $25,000, the arrest report states.

The meth was individually packaged in 10 bags that weighed an ounce each. Morales was arrested and booked on the following felony charges: drug trafficking, level 3, possession of a controlled substance, and domestic battery with strangulation. Bail: $57,500.

In other arrests:
— 36-year-old Carson City man, Jason Michael Way, was arrested Friday, 10:43 p.m. in the 200 block of Jeanell Drive on a felony warrant alleging attempted theft, and felony parole and probation violation, issued April 6, 2015 out of Carson City District Court. Way is being held without bail pending a hearing.

— A 29-year-old Carson City man was arrested Friday, 11:21 p.m. at the intersection of Stewart and Robinson streets on misdemeanor charges of DUI, littering and failure to dim headlights.
According to the arrest report, the man driving a silver 1991 Audi sedan was stopped by officers after failing to dim his headlights and throwing a lit cigarette out the window. Officers observed the man to have slurred speech and red, watery eyes. He appeared unsteady on his feet and used his vehicle door frame to maintain balance while exiting the vehicle, the arrest report states.

The officer asked the man if he had been drinking. The man said he had a beer and a shot prior to driving. He was a asked to participate in field sobriety tests in which he agreed and completed with unsatisfactory results, the arrest report states.
A preliminary breath test was given, with a sample of .91. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI and taken to jail where he refused to consent to any testing. Officers applied for and were granted a search warrant where two blood samples were taken. Bail: $1,841.

— A 25-year-old Carson City man was arrested Friday, 8:35 p.m. in the area of William and Anderson streets on suspicion of DUI, speeding 11 to 15 mph over the speed limit and a failure to appear traffic warrant.
According to the arrest report an officer observed the man traveling at a high rate of speed from Roop, Long and John streets and paced the vehicle doing 44 mph in a posted 25 mph zone.

The vehicle was stopped and the driver questioned. Officers learned he had a warrant out of Lake Tahoe Township Justice Court for failure to appear. As officers explained the warrant to the man they could smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from him. He was arrested and at jail agreed to submit to standardized field sobriety tests which he did not complete satisfactorily, the arrest report states. The man opted to have a blood draw and completed a consent search statement. Bail: $1,656.

— A 46-year-old Washoe Valley woman was arrested Friday, 3:50 p.m. in the area of Spear and Division on suspicion of child endangerment, a gross misdemeanor and misdemeanor DUI, a Carson City sheriff’s deputy said.
According to the arrest report, officers were called to the area of Carson Middle School for a report of an intoxicated driver. The phone caller was a passenger who was fearful due to the woman's condition, the arrest report states.

A deputy stopped the vehicle at Spear and Division and officers made contact with the driver who had a moderate odor of alcohol on her breath as she talked. She also had slurred speech. The woman submitted to a series of Field Sobriety Tests but could not do them as demonstrated. A preliminary breath test showed her to be above the legal limit of .08. The woman told officers she had two drinks prior to driving. She was taken to the hospital for medical clearance where she agreed to take a blood test. Bail: $3,637.

— A 24-year-old Carson City man was arrested Friday, 11:52 a.m. in the 3200 block of Market Street on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, use with intent of a poisonous, chemical drug, and probation violation. According to the arrest report, the man was found passed out in a car with keys in the ignition and radio blaring loudly. The man awoke after the officer arrived and a metal can of Ultra Duster aerosol fell from his shirt and landed at his feet. He was incoherent when speaking with officers and was unsteady on his feet. He did not perform field sobriety tests satisfactorily. Bail: $4,637.

A 25-year-old transient was arrested Friday, 8:17 p.m., at the intersection of Winnie and Lone Mountain on suspicion of possession of a dangerous weapon, a gross misdemeanor and misdemeanor petit larceny, drunken pedestrian and possession of drug paraphernalia. The man was stopped by officers after being seen stumbling across the intersection at Carson and Winnie without using the sidewalks.

He had a bottle of Jack Daniels with a security tag on the top of the label, which he allegedly stole from a nearby store. Also found on him was a set of brass knuckles in his right rear pants pocket, as well as a small scale and several empty baggies. Bail: $4,061.

— A 19-year-old Carson City man was arrested Friday, 9:34 p.m. in the 3700 block of North Carson Street on felony warrants alleging battery and disorderly conduct. Bail: $500.

— A 25-year-old Carson City man was arrested Friday, 3:38 p.m. in the area of Pinebrook and Damon on a warrant, violation of parole, issued through Carson City District Court. No bail pending a hearing.

— A 32-year-old Carson City man was booked into jail Friday, 9:55 a.m. on a misdemeanor warrant, violation of a suspended sentence, issued April 13, 2015 out of Carson City Justice Court. Bail: $3,000.

Those arrested on criminal charges are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.