Laymon McGaughey
The midnight hour proved to be a bewitching for one Fallon motorist who led officers on a high-speed chase through Fallon and parts of the county.
Fallon Police officers responded to a call near New Frontier Treatment Center Wednesday night for a suspicious, possibly suicidal person. Upon contact, FPD Chief Kevin Gehman said Laymon McGaughey, 30, of Carlin, Nev., became uncooperative and fled in his vehicle.
Churchill County Sheriff Ben Trotter said it appeared that McGaughey had been drinking and may have injured himself.
At 11:35 p.m. McGaughey drove through a fence fleeing police officers. The pursuit wound through the city and northbound on the Lovelock Highway (U.S. Highway 50) with deputies, police officers and the Nevada Highway Patrol in pursuit. Trotter said McGaughey exceeded speeds of more than 90 miles per hour.
Trotter said the chase took the suspect and officers to Interstate 80 and to the Tulon exit where McGaughey circled back and headed toward Trinity. He headed back to Fallon.
McGaughey avoided spikes that had been placed on the highway near the Kennametal plant, but then he circled around the Kennametal property and returned to the highway, Trotter said the FPD was able to spike several tires.
Police and the NHP were able to deploy their spike strips successfully closer to town, causing McGaughey to drive on his rims through Fallon and back to New Frontier.
Trotter said McGaughey was taken into custody shortly after 1 a.m.
McGaughey was booked into Churchill County Jail and charged with felony evading, driving under the influence and multiple traffic offenses. Bail was set at $19,120.