Man accused of assault with a banana crashed his car into casino

A man was arrested in Carson City, Nevada, early Sunday on morning after hitting a convenience store clerk with a banana and later crashing his vehicle into a nearby casino. Osvaldo Ruiz was arrested at 1:41am after a vehicle and foot chase. He faces felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon, reckless driving willful conduct and eluding with endangerment as well as misdemeanor charges of DUI, obstructing and hit and run. According to the arrest report, officers were called to a convenience store. Police learned two men walked into the store and one man began using the bathroom with the door opened. The clerk told the man to close the door and the man became upset, walking out of the restroom and demanding the clerk to sell them alcohol. One of the men threw a banana at the clerk, hitting them with it before leaving.

Deputies were able to identify the banana thrower, and knew of him being associated with a gang. Deputies arrived at the complex and learned the two men had drove up in a Lexus and parked it in the complex and went to an apartment. Officers attempted to make contact at the apartment but there wasn’t an answer. Officers left the area but maintained surveillance of the Lexus in which several people were standing around. The Lexus then backed up rapidly. Not knowing if the Lexus had the banana-throwing suspect inside, or not, the officer followed the car and then attempted to make a traffic stop. The Lexus ignored the lights and sirens, and accelerated rapidly. The officer lost sight of the Lexus. Another officer located it. A patrol officer attempted to catch up with the car while two other patrol vehicles were in the path of the Lexus.



The vehicle headed straight for the patrol vehicle, swerving at the last second, missing it and then moving toward another patrol vehicle, swerving at the last second. Both Sgt. Humphrey and Deputy Jones stated the Lexus intentionally swerved at them, missing them at the last possible moment. The Lexus, occupied by Osvaldo Ruiz, then drove off at a high rate of speed. The Lexus drove over a raised concrete control device. A deputy then stated the Lexus went airborne after it hit a kerb and sidewalk, coming to rest between the east wall of Dotty's casino and large green electrical control boxes. The Lexus severed the meter off the natural gas line that supplies the casino. The casino was subsequently evacuated and utility companies were called to shut down both gas and electric.

There was damage to shrubbery, an electrical box, and the exterior wall of the casino. Meanwhile officers moved toward the car and saw Osvaldo Ruiz jump into the back seat and then kicked open the rear passenger door and ran away. He continued running where he went into an apartment complex, jumped the fence into a senior citizens apartment complex, then ran towards another senior complex. Officers found Osvaldo Ruiz hiding in a dumpster on the complex and he was arrested. Officers smelled alcoholic beverage as he spoke and Osvaldo was slurring his words as he spoke and stumbled as he walked. When he was asked he if had been drinking alcohol he replied he was “f***** up,” the arrest report states. It was learned Osvaldo had a prior DUI conviction in 2013. He was later taken to jail. He faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon, reckless driving willful conduct, destruction of property eluding with endangerment, DUI second, obstructing and hit and run. His bail is set at $68,300.