Police nab subject of manhunt

GLENBROOK " Just as police gave up their search Tuesday evening for a Carson City man suspected of shooting at police during a high-speed chase, a homeowner spotted him hiding behind shrubbery in his yard, authorities said.

Roderick Macleod, 19, was arrested and taken into custody by members of the Carson City Sheriff's Department 14 hours after officers first spotted him driving a stolen 24-foot-long U-Haul truck in Indian Hills, said Douglas County Sheriff's Sgt. Tom Mezzetta.

"Ten minutes after we terminated our search a resident of the Uppay Estates told us that a subject was hiding in the bushes outside his home. We put the grab on the guy," he said. Macleod was arrested without incident.

Officers from Washoe, Douglas, Carson and the Nevada Department of Public Safety, along with a helicopter and police dogs, scoured the forest and ravine surrounding the country-club community of Glenbrook on the shore of Lake Tahoe from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m. searching for Macleod, who allegedly fired shots from the window of the truck as he fled.

The search began shortly after 4 a.m. when a Douglas County deputy tried to pull over the "suspicious-looking" U-Haul, but the driver refused to stop. The vehicle had been stolen from the U-Haul dealership at Saliman Road and Highway 50 East.

The chase continued into North Carson City, where Carson City police joined in.

According to Carson City Deputy Keith Bopko, who was clearing intersections ahead of the errant U-Haul, the truck raced north on Highway 395 and turned right on Clearview Drive, left on Edmonds, right on East Fifth Street and right on Carson River Road.

Bopko raced ahead to the intersection of Deer Run Road just in time to stop traffic before the truck sped through the intersection onto Arrowhead.

"He launched onto Arrowhead," he recalled.

The truck eventually reached Carson Street, hitting speeds of 80 mph through town, said Deputy Mike Fischer.

It returned to Indian Hills where Mike Mitchell, 20, allegedly jumped from the moving vehicle.

Carson City Deputy Mike Fischer said he chased Mitchell on foot.

"I was yelling 'Stop, police!' but he just kept going," Fischer said. He said he fired a taser, striking Mitchell, who surrendered.

Mitchell allegedly told police Macleod was holding him at gunpoint.

"(Macleod) said he was going to kill (Mitchell) if he tried to escape," Fischer said, noting Mitchell said he ran from police because he was "scared." "He said (Macleod) was drunk and he was going to shoot it out with police."

Mitchell was booked into the Douglas County Jail on a warrant from a domestic battery charge and possession of stolen property.

From Indian Hills, Macleod led police along Highway 50 to Spooner Summit, where he allegedly drove into the center divider several times and at different points drove in the wrong lane. At one point, Macleod allegedly appeared to stick a handgun out the window.

Douglas County police unsuccessfully deployed spike strips in an attempt to stop the truck, Mezzetta said. The chase proceeded through the casino corridor at Stateline and entered South Lake Tahoe, before returning to Douglas County. In the area of Zephyr Cove, officers reported hearing shots fired from the U-Haul.

Eventually Macleod abandoned the truck near Glenbrook and fled on foot, Mezzetta said.

For nearly four hours Tuesday morning, westbound Highway 50 traffic was stopped at the Carson City junction. Traffic from Highway 28 heading into South Lake was sent East into Carson City. Vehicles coming into Carson City from Highway 28 were searched. No eastbound traffic was allowed past Glenbrook, seven miles from Zephyr Cove.

For a short time, residents of Glenbrook were prevented from exiting and entering their community.

About 5 p.m., Mezzetta said the search was called off because of the terrain and fatigue. As the last search vehicle was leaving the area, the resident called in the sighting, he said.

Macleod could be charged with assault with a deadly weapon, eluding and possession of a stolen vehicle, Mezzetta said. It wasn't clear Tuesday night if Carson or Douglas county would handle the stolen-property charge.

On Monday night, Bopko said, he and another deputy contacted Macleod and three others at the skate park in Mills Park. The group, all on foot, was told to leave the park because it was closing. Bopko said Macleod didn't appear to be drinking at the time.

The U-Haul dealership is about two blocks east of there.

Contact F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.