A late-night search for a wanted man in Sun Valley turned into a pursuit that ended with a crash and arrest.
Deputies with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office say they received information around 11 p.m. on March 26 that a man with an active warrant was at a home in the area of Yukon Drive.
The man, identified as Joseph Wheatley, was wanted on a felony warrant out of Sparks Justice Court on charges including evading, assault with a deadly weapon with elderly enhancement, driver disobeying a peace officer and endangering others, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving without a valid driver’s license, duty to stop at the scene of an accident with car or property damage, and open alcohol container in a car.
Deputies say Wheatley also faces additional charges related to this incident, including two counts of felony battery with the use of a deadly weapon, one count of felony driver disobeying a peace officer, and one misdemeanor count of driving without a valid driver’s license.
Detectives with the Human Exploitation and Recovery Operations Unit, the Northern Nevada Drug Task Force, and the Northern Nevada Regional Intelligence Center assisted deputies.
According to deputies, the man left the home and got into a car parked on a nearby street. When deputies attempted a traffic stop, the driver fled through Sun Valley at a high rate of speed.
The car later stopped near South Fork Drive and Middle Fork Drive. Deputies say they used a drone as a first responder to locate the man, then surrounded the car and gave commands for him to exit.
After stopping, deputies say the driver attempted to flee again and hit both a patrol car and a detective’s car in a head-on crash.
After several minutes, the man followed commands and was taken into custody without further incident.
One deputy and one detective were taken to Renown Regional Medical Center with injuries. Both were treated and released later that night. Wheatley was also taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries related to the crash before being booked into the Washoe County Detention Facility.
Deputies say the case remains under investigation.
