Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Crime:

Man arrested after attacking neighbor with guitar, toilet bowl lid

A “delirious” 41-year-old man allegedly broke into a Las Vegas home Saturday morning and struck the homeowner over the head with a guitar and a toilet bowl lid before trying to strangle him, according to Metro Police.

Officers were called to the 10800 block of Villa Torre Street in the Southern Highlands neighborhood shortly before 8 a.m. after receiving a call from a neighbor about a man throwing items from inside the residence onto the street, according to an arrest report.

A responding officer found Ronald Hetzel sitting on a curb outside the home, the report said. Hetzel was allegedly not wearing a shirt, was screaming incoherently and was “very hostile” toward the officer, the report said.

Backup was called after the officer ascertained that Hetzel was displaying “symptoms of Excited Delirium,” the report said.

The officers began to set up a perimeter around the home to contain Hetzel when he jumped over a back wall into an adjacent backyard, undetected by police, the report said.

Hetzel allegedly ripped the screen off the patio window of the house — located on the 10800 block of Osceola Mills Street — opened the window and entered the home, the report said. The homeowner confronted Hetzel, who began to fight with him, the report said.

During the nearly 20-minute fight, Hetzel allegedly struck the homeowner over the head with a wooden guitar and the porcelain lid to a toilet bowl, the report said. Hetzel also allegedly tried to strangle the homeowner multiple times, leaving him with many bruises, the report said.

Officers became aware of a struggle occurring in the neighboring residence and began approaching the house when Hetzel ran out and jumped over another wall into another adjacent house on Osceola Mills Street, the report said.

Hetzel was finally taken into custody by officers with the help of a police K-9 dog, the report said. Hetzel suffered injuries to his leg and was sent to UMC, the report said.

Accompanying officers said Hetzel allegedly made several death threats against the homeowner, according to the report.

The homeowner was transported to St. Rose Domincan Hospital’s Siena campus, where he was treated for his bruises and a large laceration above one of his eyes, the report said.

Hetzel was arrested and charged with home invasion, burglary, attempted murder, battery with a deadly weapon and battery with substantial harm.

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