Bail increased in accident

Bail was raised to $10,000 cash Friday for a 26-year-old Reno man suspected of staging two traffic accidents on Highway 50 near Cave Rock that injured two people.

Douglas Ackley is charged with obstructing an officer for refusing to identify himself during the July 5 accident investigation and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Those charges were filed by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

The Nevada Highway Patrol is investigating a report that Ackley placed rocks, traffic signs and other debris on the highway that caused two accidents.

According the court documents, Ackley was observed by a highway patrol trooper walking along the highway with a road flare above his head.

The trooper said several rocks were in the road and Ackley was observed placing construction signs, traffic cones and more rocks in the road.

Two vehicles collided with the rocks and debris and had to be towed from the accident site.

According to the highway patrol, an airbag in one of the vehicles deployed injuring a passenger in the face. The man was on his way to the hospital for a dialysis treatment when the accident occurred.

Appearing in East Fork Justice Court on Friday before visiting Judge Richard Glasson, Ackley at first said he wanted to plead guilty to the two misdemeanor charges.

"I lied to the officer and I had a weed pipe in my pocket," Ackley said.

Prosecutor Mark Jackson said the state was going to recommend two six-month jail sentences to be served consecutively.

After hearing an explanation from Glasson of his options, Ackley decided to plead not guilty.

Glasson set a hearing at Tahoe Township Justice Court for July 25.

Jackson asked Glasson to raise the bail to $10,000 cash because he said Ackley had an extensive criminal record including arrests for attempted murder of a police officer in 2002, attempted murder, and assault with a deadly weapon.

He said Ackley had been sentenced to more than six years in prison and was paroled after 16 months.

He also said Ackley had been charged with child abuse, child endangerment, driving under the influence and attempted escape.

Jackson said Ackley had a parole violation from 2005 out of Las Vegas.

"He is a threat to the community," Jackson said. "There are allegations he placed rocks and signs at Cave Rock. Cars collided with those objects and there were two accidents with personal injury."