Stabbing suspect surrenders to police

by F.T. Norton

Appeal Staff Writer

A Dresslerville man wanted in the stabbing of two men outside of a Highway 50 East bar surrendered to police Wednesday morning, said Sheriff's Detective Bob Motamenpour.

Marvin Dressler, 29, was booked into the Carson City Jail at 9:45 a.m. on suspicion of two felony counts of battery with a deadly weapon.

According to Motamenpour, Dressler said the two men - Terril Smothers, 29, and Daniel Crocker, 23 - smacked him when he leaned inside Smothers' car window to ask about the vehicle they were in.

Smothers and Crocker told police they left Katie's Bar just before 3 a.m. Sunday and were inside Smothers' car in the parking lot when Dressler motioned for them to open their window.

The men said when they did, Dressler began punching Crocker. Smothers jumped from the vehicle to pull Dressler off his friend and Smothers and Dressler then fought, said Motamenpour.

En route to the hospital both men discovered they'd each been stabbed numerous times in their torso, head, shoulder and back, the detective said.

Crocker suffered a collapsed lung and "more serious blows than Smothers," Dressler's arrest report states.

Both men were taken by helicopter to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno. Their conditions are not available, according to a hospital spokesman.

Motamenpour said that Dressler claims Crocker told him to get off the car, and then Smothers smacked Dressler in the face before the fight ensued.

Dressler denied using a knife in the assault.

"I asked him, 'Then, how did these people get knifed,' and (Dressler) said, 'Well if I did knife them, I don't remember'," said Motamenpour. Dressler went on to deny ever carrying a knife.

His bail is set at $30,000.

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