Sheriff’s office clarifies details on recent battery cases

For clarification, there have been two recent battery with deadly weapons cases involving substantial bodily injury, reports Churchill County in a media release.

The first occurred April 4 and is described above, the second occurred on April 13 on Stillwater Road.

Both victims are recovering from their wounds and the Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate each case.

The Churchill County Sheriff’s Office is setting the record straight and clarifying rumors and speculation that have been circulating on social media regarding the condition of a physically disabled homeless man.

In the early morning hours of April 4, the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Churchill County Fairgrounds on a report of suspicious circumstances and located a 48-year-old physically disabled and homeless man bound and severely beaten lying in the dirt of a horse stall.

He was able to provide deputies with a statement that included the description and last name of who beat him and why. The victim was transported to Banner Churchill Community Hospital prior to being transported to Renown.

The description of the suspect was broadcast and members of the Fallon Police Department located a subject matching that description on South Maine Street. Members of the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office responded and spoke with the subject and later took him into custody for attempted murder. The suspect was identified as Andrew Crutcher, a homeless 19-year-old male.

Members of the Sheriff’s Office have spoken with and confirmed that the man is recovering in Reno under the care of medical professionals.

A local farmer on Stillwater Road was awakened to find a bloody man standing at his front door at about 3:40 a.m. The man asked for assistance and the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office and medics from Banner Churchill Community Hospital responded.

The man, a long time Fallon resident and a member of the Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe, stated he had been beaten after getting kicked out of a vehicle and had walked to find help. A more detailed statement was unable due to the extent of his injuries.

The man was flown via Care Flight to Reno where he is listed in critical condition.

Investigation showed a blood trail from the farmer’s yard down to the road to where it is believed this incident occurred. Members of the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office and Search and Rescue then began a detailed search of the area.

Later in the day, a search and seizure warrant was obtained and served by the Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribal Police and the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office on tribal land.

This investigation is still ongoing and we will provide updates as this case develops. The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribal Police for their assistance.