A Ruhenstroth man facing felonies in a May shooting was ordered held for 10 days on Friday for violating his bail conditions by drinking alcohol.
Chauncey Clayton Fagan, 37, denied that he posed a danger to the community during a bail hearing.
“I was a high school teacher and a football coach,” he said. “I am no danger. I want to be an upstanding part of this community once again.”
He had a rough streak in the last year, Fagan told senior judge Tom Perkins.
Fagan is facing charges in two felony cases, including a May 24 incident where he’d been drinking and fired a rifle and shotgun inside the home on May 24.
He was out on bail in connection with a Nov. 14, 2023, arrest when he hit the cluster mailbox at the entrance to Ruhenstroth. He reportedly had a .17 blood alcohol content when he was arrested.
Defense attorney Maria Pence said Fagan had just been released a few weeks ago after spending 30 days in rehab at a Reno facility.
He admitted that he’d taken a “drink of booze to kind of mellow out,” on Friday.
“He does not have any history outside the two cases he has pending,” Pence said. “The facts in those cases indicate he is struggling with an addiction issue.”
She said Fagan’s wife and father, who were in the Colt Lane home in May, believed he was safe to be out of custody.
Prosecutor Jim Sibley asked Perkins to set a $100,000 bail for Fagan, saying that he could face up to 40 years in prison should he be convicted on all counts.
He said he was out on bail for DUI and hit and run when he and his father struggled over a weapon and Fagan shot up the house.
Pence said that the four guns have been removed from the house and asked Perkins to reinstate him on bail.
In addition to ordering Fagan to serve 10 days in jail, he said that Fagan had to post $2,000 cash bail.
While not prejudging the case, Perkins warned Fagan that he was facing prison.
“You have one foot in Nevada State Prison,” Perkins said. “That’s where you’re headed if you don’t take control of this situation.”
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