Attempted-murder suspect from Fernley surrenders in Elko

Fernley resident Dustin Fryling, who is accused of attempted murder in a shooting last week, turned himself in to authorities Tuesday.

Fryling surrendered to the Elko County Sheriff's Department at 8:14 a.m., said Capt. Allen Veil of the Lyon County Sheriff's Office.

"It's absolutely the best thing that could have happened," Veil said. "It takes a lot of pressure off the public and off the family."

Authorities have been looking for Fryling since Friday morning, when they were called to a residence on Mesa Drive in Fernley on the report of a shooting. Fryling, 22, is accused of shooting David Hightower once in the face during a dispute.

Hightower, 27, remains at Washoe Medical Center where he underwent surgery to remove a bullet that was lodged near his spine. Lt. John Arndell of the Lyon County Sheriff's Office said Hightower is expected to make a full recovery.

Arndell said he had urged Fryling's sister to call her brother and ask him to contact detectives.

"I asked her to tell him to turn himself in before someone else got hurt," Arndell said.

"He wandered into the Elko Sheriff's Office and surrendered. They talked to him a little bit, but he wouldn't tell them where the car was or where the weapon is."

Arndell said Fryling has hired Yerington attorney John Schelegmilch, who advised authorities not to question his client unless Schelegmilch is present.

Investigators initially believed Fryling took a vehicle from Black Jack Motors and used it to flee. Officials at the small dealership were unable to determine if a vehicle was missing, police said. Fryling's father works at Black Jack Motors as a manager or supervisor, Veil said earlier.

Deputies plan to drive to Elko today to pick up Fryling. He will be booked into jail on a warrant charging him with attempted murder with the use of deadly weapon. Bail is set at $100,000.

Arndell said news coverage of the crime was starting to pay off. He said an Elko citizen walked into the Elko Police Department on Tuesday to report seeing Fryling in a local store. By that time, Fryling had already surrendered.

Arndell said an argument between Fryling and his girlfriend sparked a fight that led to the shooting.

A witness to the alleged shooting said Fryling arrived at Hightower's single-wide mobile home Friday morning.

She said a dispute between the two turned physical when Hightower hit Fryling. She said Fryling pulled out a 9 mm gun and shot Hightower.

A total of three rounds were fired, Arndell said, but only one hit Hightower.

"The information I got was, they had a contentious relationship anyway," he said about the suspect and the victim.