Suspect in fatal heads to district court

A suspect in a fatal traffic accident is set to appear March 14 in District Court to enter a plea to two felony charges in the death of a 42-year-old Gardnerville woman.

Michael Cordero Perez, 32, waived a preliminary hearing Wednesday in East Fork Justice Court to determine if there was enough evidence for charges against him to stand.

Perez was arrested after the Dec. 20 collision on Jacks Valley Road and charged with driving under the influence causing death or substantial bodily harm and driving under the influence of alcohol and controlled substance causing death or substantial bodily harm.

Judge Jim EnEarl agreed to convert $500 of Perez's $2,500 bail toward house arrest fees.

Lawyer Tod Young said Perez had not violated any conditions of the house arrest.

"He is in complete compliance," Young said.

According to the Nevada Highway Patrol, Perez was southbound on Jacks Valley Road near Bavarian Drive when a witness said he crossed the double-yellow line, overcorrected, and collided with a vehicle driven by Robin Moroney, 42, of Gardnerville.

Moroney had to be extricated from her vehicle and was taken by CareFlight to Washoe Medical Center in Reno where she died of her injuries.

Perez was treated for moderate injuries.

n East Fork Judge Jim EnEarl refused to lower the $10,000 bail of a Gardnerville man accused of domestic battery.

He said with suspect Jerry Mattox's methamphetamine use, he was not ready to release him prior to a hearing next Wednesday.

"I have no pre-conceived idea about your client's guilt," EnEarl told lawyer Alan Erb. "But with your client's history of recent meth use, I am not comfortable at this juncture that there isn't an act of violence while he goes back to using meth."

Mattox, 62, was arrested Feb. 23.

According to court documents, deputies were summoned to his home by the victim's daughter.

Mattox reportedly couldn't specify how many times he struck the victim with his hands and fists.

She said he slammed her head into a pool table and a washing machine.

She suffered a quarter-inch laceration on her face, 2-inch scratch on her forehead, 2-inch scratch on her left cheek and three bumps at the hairline on the back of her neck.

According to deputies, Mattox said the fight was over finances.

When Mattox was arrested, he tested positive for methamphetamine and other controlled substances.

n A 33-year-old Gardnerville woman received a six-month suspended sentence in Douglas County Jail after she pleaded guilty to kicking a Tri-NET officer during an arrest.

Carrie Ann Trapp was arrested Feb. 23 as four officers tried to serve her with a warrant.

"My first inclination is to put you in jail for six months and leave you there," said Judge Jim EnEarl.

She is wanted in Carson City on a charge of sales of a controlled substance.

Trapp reportedly struggled with officers who came to her home to arrest her on the Carson City charge.

She kicked the Tri-NET officer in the groin.

"I just apologize to the officers," Trapp said.

EnEarl said law enforcement officers expected to be lied to and given false identifications.

"They shouldn't have to plan on being beaten up when they try to pick you up," EnEarl said.

n A Gardnerville couple face 10 days in jail each if they fail to send their daughter to school.

Paula and Scott Balog pleaded guilty Wednesday to contributory neglect, a misdemeanor.

They agreed that their daughter could not miss school without a doctor's excuse.

Judge Jim EnEarl ordered the Balogs to submit proof by March 13 that they have met with the school's attendance officer and counselor to set up a plan to make sure they are in compliance.

He sentenced them to a suspended 10-day sentence in Douglas County Jail.

According to court documents, the Balogs were accused of allowing their daughter to be habitually truant from Aug. 3-Dec. 14 after she was declared a truant in May.

n The Douglas County Sheriff's Office reported 10 contacts for domestic violence Feb. 22-28.

There were four verbal domestics, four arrests for domestic battery including three adults and a juvenile, one referral to the district attorney for review or prosecution and one referral for an arrest warrant.

Three juveniles witnessed domestic violence and one juvenile was arrested for battery against a parent.

The Family Support Council submitted two requests to East Fork Justice Court for temporary restraining orders with two approvals. Two requests for anti-stalking and harassment orders were pending hearings.

Connie Richardson, sheriff's office domestic violence prevention coordinator, said the average range for contacts this time of year is 10-12 per week. The average range for children witnessing domestic violence is 7-9 per week with juvenile suspects at 0-2 per week.