LCSO K9 apprehends suspect after Storey County pursuit

Robert Perea
Today, 12:55 AM

A Lyon County Sheriff’s Office K9 helped apprehend a stolen-vehicle suspect on April 11 after Storey County deputies pursued the man from Interstate 80 into the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center, according to the Storey County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies in Storey County were alerted at about 11:11 a.m. to a stolen vehicle out of Washoe County traveling near I-80 and Lockwood. Dispatch advised the driver was also a suspect in a domestic battery case and might be armed.

A Storey County deputy spotted the vehicle heading east on I-80 and exiting near Patrick before continuing onto Waltham Way in TRIC. The deputy attempted a traffic stop, and the vehicle initially pulled over. When the deputy ordered the driver to get out, he refused and sped away, deputies said.

The deputy pursued as the driver fled south on USA Parkway at a high rate of speed, running multiple traffic lights and driving recklessly. The suspect then left the roadway and entered private property, ramming through two locked gates.

Deputies lost sight of the vehicle on an unpaved road. Nevada Highway Patrol and the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist. The vehicle was found about a half-mile from its last known location, and deputies soon spotted the driver walking nearby.

Deputies gave several commands for the man to stop and show his hands. He refused and ran, still not displaying his hands. Because he was reported to be possibly armed and continued to ignore commands, LCSO deployed a K9 to apprehend him.

The driver, identified as Earl Houlden, 41, of Sun Valley, was taken into custody. He was medically evaluated and cleared before being booked into the Storey County Detention Facility on charges of: resist public officer (misdemeanor); two counts of driver evade, elude or fail to stop on signal of peace officer, endangering other person or property (felonies); reckless driving with disregard for the safety of persons or property (misdemeanor); destroy or injure real or personal property of another, value $5,000 or greater (felony); destroy or injure real or personal property of another, value $250 or greater but less than $5,000 (gross misdemeanor); and trespass, not amounting to burglary (misdemeanor).