Deputies arrest suspect with sizable amount of cocaine

Washoe County Sheriff's deputies stumbled upon 77 grams of cocaine while investigating a domestic fight at a Crystal Bay casino.

Lt. Russ Peterson said a deputy found a couple fighting in their car around 9 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot of one of the casinos.

The deputy approached the vehicle to find Theresa Carbajal, 44, of Tahoe City, Calif., and a male companion arguing. He asked the two to step out of the car and Carbajal was visibly intoxicated.

Peterson said her male counterpart, who was electric-wheelchair bound, attempted a few "diversionary tactics" to distract the deputy while Carbajal attempted to stash something in her car.

The man made two threats to the deputy, first saying he would run the deputy over with his wheelchair. The man charged the deputy in his chair, and the deputy stepped up on a curb to avoid the man, Peterson said.

Next, the man threatened suicide by ingesting a full bottle of prescription Viagra.

"I'm not even sure if that could kill someone, but I'm sure it wouldn't be good," Peterson said.

By that point, a second deputy arrived and the two were able to subdue the subject and wrestle the Viagra away from the man before he was able to ingest any pills.

Then they turned their attention to Carbajal. Peterson said the two handcuffed her before searching her vehicle.

Inside, they found what amounted to 77 grams of presumed cocaine - the substance will need to be analyzed by the WCSO crime lab in Reno to determine if it is cocaine - which converts to 2.695 ounces.

"That is a pretty large amount of cocaine," Peterson said.

He also said deputies detected trace amounts of methamphetamine, one nonprescription pill the crime lab would need to analyze and drug paraphernalia.

Peterson said Carbajal had the suspected cocaine packaged individually, with the amount seized split between two bags.

He said that individual packaging is generally an indicator of intent to sell.

The deputies arrested Carbajal on seven separate charges: Misdemeanor driving under the influence, felony possession of cocaine, felony trafficking of a controlled substance, misdemeanor unlawful possession of a controlled substance, felony using/being under the influence of a controlled substance, felony possession of dangerous narcotics and felony possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute.

Carbajal was arrested and transported to the Washoe County detention facility in Reno for booking. Her bail was set at $26,830.

Peterson said the man was detained in the casino parking lot until paramedics determined he was not a suicide risk and he was released, Peterson said.