K-9 Rony makes robbery collar

A 21-year-old Gardnerville man, accused of attempted robbery at a Chinese restaurant, was arrested Tuesday after a Douglas County K-9 officer chased him down.

Nyle Silva was jailed on $26,000 bail on suspicion of assault, robbery and strong-armed robbery.

Deputies were called to Hunan Chinese Restaurant at the Raley's shopping center in Gardnerville about 9:40 p.m. They were met outside by an employee who said a man, later identified as Silva, had entered the restaurant at closing, grabbed the manager by the vest and ordered all employees into the dining room.

The manager was able to get free of his vest just as the cook came out of the kitchen and ordered the suspect to let the man go.

Witnesses said the suspect hit the cook in the eye, but he punched the suspect in the face and the man fled the restaurant.

The employees told deputies they were frightened because they didn't know if the suspect had a gun.

Deputy Scott Battcher, with his K-9 officer Rony, saw a man fitting the suspect's description run across Toler Road toward the Village Motel. Battcher said he ordered the suspect to stop, but the man kept running.

In his report Battcher said he drew his handgun and enlisted Rony as a "force option" to halt the suspect in keeping with department policy.

Battcher said he and the German shepherd were 40 feet from the suspect and he ordered the man three times to "get on the ground or my dog will bite you."

Battcher said the man did not comply so he commanded Rony to jump a fence and apprehend the suspect.

The suspect took off his jacket, stopped, and put his hands over his head to surrender, so Battcher ordered the dog to halt. The subject lay down on the ground and Rony lay about 6 feet from the subject until the man was taken into custody.

The restaurant manager identified Silva as the suspect.

Silva was taken to jail where he reportedly told a deputy, "I just asked for information on the Greyhound bus. This guy thought I was robbing him."

Silva was named as a suspect Oct. 30 in a report of domestic battery and trespassing at the home of his ex-girlfriend's grandparents.