Duffy Thomas sentenced for trying to evade police

Duffy Thomas was sentenced in District Court Monday on charges relating to a misdemeanor escape in April.

Thomas tried to run from the Carson City Sheriff’s Office Special Enforcement Team after they gave him a wire and $800 in cash to complete a drug buy. Instead, Thomas tried to dress in his sister’s clothes and evade police but was caught shortly after.

In court, Thomas was sentenced to one year in prison for one count of gross misdemeanor escape and 12-30 months in jail that runs concurrent for category B theft.

The defense attempted to argue for probation and drug court, saying Thomas committed the crime to not be revealed as a snitch. The defense also said the court shouldn’t throw a 25-year-old in prison and it needed to address Thomas’ drug addiction he has dealt with most of his life.

The District Attorney’s office argued Thomas has a significant criminal history — 15 misdemeanors and one gross misdemeanor offense with four probation revocations — and he can’t be trusted with parole.

Thomas told the court he believed this will convince him to change his life around.

Also in court Monday, Crystal Baldridge was sentenced to 12-40 months in Nevada Department of Corrections for endangering a peace officer and destruction of property.

Baldridge was arrested in October 2014 after being stopped by deputies at the Highway 50 El Centro Market for driving intoxicated. When deputies tried to detain her, she reversed her automobile and rammed into Sgt. Mike Cullen’s patrol vehicle. Baldridge had to be forcibly removed from the car after Cullen had to break open her driver’s side door with a baton.

She entered a not guilty plea, but was found guilty during trial.

On Monday, Baldridge’s attorney tried to claim the charges weren’t accurate because she didn’t actually endanger Cullen’s life because her attorney claimed Cullen, a peace officer, couldn’t be considered a victim.

“It is a lie that she endangered the officer,” said Steve Evenson, the defense attorney. “This is an example of an over reach and over extension of the situation.

“I don’t think that Mr. Cullen is a victim in any of this.”

The judge sided with the District Attorney’s office saying Baldridge did in fact put an officer in danger as well as other people in the market and on the road while she was driving intoxicated. He sentenced Baldridge on the crimes. She will be monitored with a new program through Parole and Probation to make sure she will stay sober, however she will not have to be on house arrest.