Brothers face weapons charges

Two Gardnerville Ranchos brothers were charged with assault with a deadly weapon following a midnight confrontation over missing rent money.

Clayton Ridley, 19, and Richard Ridley, 24, were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and jailed on $25,000 bail each.

Anthony Michael Tribon, 19, was charged with minor consuming.

Nicholas Dale Nadler, 21, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to deputies, the incident occurred shortly after midnight July 21.

Tribon, Nadler and a third roommate had gone to the brothers' house because they were missing $400 for rent and decided to question everyone who had been at their Bluerock residence that day.

According to reports, the Ridley brothers had a 12-gauge shotgun, a .45-caliber handgun and a 26-inch collapsible baton that they brought out of their house in the course of the conversation with the three roommates.

Deputies said the handgun was fully loaded with a round in the chamber.

One of the brothers reportedly grabbed the shotgun which was slung across his brother's back and "racked" a round and told the trio to leave.

He denied aiming any of the weapons.

Deputies were called to the residence by neighbors who heard the confrontation. Officials said the roommates were unarmed.

n A Gardnerville man was charged with assault with a deadly weapon after the victim reported that he allegedly threatened her with a homemade gun.

Brian Keith Donahue, 47, was jailed early Thursday on $25,000 bail. The victim said he threatened her with a pipe that he had fashioned into a homemade gun. Deputies said the weapon was a 15-inch-long black pipe, three-quarter-inch in diameter with a small bi-metal t-style fitting attached on one end. Two brass adapters were screwed into the ends.

They found the pipe on the roof of the residence.

According to the suspect, the pipe was from a swamp cooler.

Deputies charged Donahue with assault with a deadly weapon because he threatened the 60-year-old victim in such a manner that she feared for her life. Deputies found no shells or bullets and noted they have had numerous prior contacts with the couple.

n A custodian at Gardnerville Elementary School told deputies that someone tried to break in through the roof.

He said he arrived at school early June 20 and discovered milk cartons stacked to form a step to a door patio cover on the west side of the building.

He said the suspect tried to pull a vent cover off the roof, but failed to gain entry.

There was no other damage.

n Deputies are investigating a report of vandalism on Bougainvillea in the Winhaven subdivision.

A homeowner in the 1700 block said his garage and a vehicle in his driveway had been spray-painted.

He said it was the third time his residence had been targeted.

Deputies also noted that a real estate sign in the same block had been defaced and a racial epithet and obscenity were spray-painted across the cluster mailbox.