DUI pursuit in Douglas County ends with damaged patrol cars

A response by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office to a reported DUI on Sunday evening resulted in two patrol cars being damaged and an arrested suspect facing a slew of charges.

On August 16, 2015 at 5:13 p.m., deputies responded to a reported DUI call about a driver in a red Dodge pickup. The vehicle was located and stopped in the parking lot of Lampe Park where deputies began a DUI investigation. The driver of the truck, 56-year-old Michael Clifford Stewart of Gardnerville, NV, started his vehicle and drove away from the deputies.

Deputies then pursued the vehicle that was now traveling westbound on Hwy 756. As the vehicle approached the intersection of Hwy 756 and Dresslerville Road, the suspect vehicle stopped behind a mini-van. One of the patrol vehicles attempted to position his vehicle alongside the suspect vehicle and block him. Stewart rammed his vehicle into the patrol vehicle and then rammed the patrol vehicle that was behind him and drove away.

Stewart turned east onto Hwy 88 and then made a U-turn to travel west. As he made the turn, Stewart again rammed one of the pursuing patrol cars a second time. At this time Stewart’s vehicle was blocked from any further travel and he was removed from his vehicle and placed into custody.

The suspect was treated for any possible injuries and then transported to the Minden Jail and booked for felony DUI, Assault with a deadly weapon, felony eluding, expired registration and destruction of property.

One of the deputies was treated for a minor injury.

Stewart’s bail has been set at $121,436.00.