Man gets diversion for sixth DUI in 22 years

It took approximately 40 minutes on Tuesday to track down a total of six DUIs during a sentencing for Dallas Aaron Packwood.

Packwood, 42, was arrested Aug. 2, 2023, on Johnson Lane for driving under the influence of alcohol, with a preliminary breath test revealing an alcohol content of 0.27 percent.

Prior he had five other DUI convictions in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2020 and 2021, but only the last two counted toward the felony. Under Nevada law, three instances of driving under the influence in seven years is a felony.

During sentencing Packwood said he is done with drinking as it has caused nothing but bad choices.

“We can blame the alcohol, but it’s not the alcohol, it’s who the alcohol is being poured into,” said District Nathan Tod Young. “You are a dangerous criminal, that’s what six DUIs say.”

Packwood was sentenced to attend DUI court beginning Monday.

The 3-5-year program will allow him to avoid a 1-6-year prison term if he’s successful, though any subsequent DUI carries mandatory incarceration for up to 15 years.

• A man who gave fraudulent identification to a deputy to avoid prosecution after a report of a pickup on fire in a neighbor’s yard received probation Tuesday.

Derek Ryan Peterson, 33, was working landscaping at a Gardnerville Ranchos address when his pickup caught fire on July 14. He went into the backyard and a neighbor put the fire out with a hose.

Peterson gave his friend’s name to the deputy and Peterson’s girlfriend backed him up, so the deputy released him.

He was arrested on Aug. 9 after another deputy spotted him driving near Arrowhead. He had Xanax and methadone in his possession at the time.

He also has a felony warrant for failure to appear in Texas that was nonextraditable.

He was sentenced to a suspended 19-48 months in prison with the condition that he serve 14 consecutive days in Douglas County Jail beginning Wednesday. He was given credit for two days.

• A $2,500 warrant was issued Monday for Michael Buck Bittman who failed to appear in Douglas County District Court.

According to the Douglas County Jail log Bittman was arrested Dec. 4 for possession of a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia and carrying a concealed weapon.