Minden, NV- On December 17, 2021 at approximately 2:23 p.m., Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a traffic enforcement stop on a wanted subject in the area of Ironwood Dr and Pinewood Dr located in Minden, NV. The suspect, Thomas James Meagher, a 24-year-old Gardnerville resident, was wanted by the Nevada Department of Parolee and Probation and considered “armed and dangerous.”
Meagher has a very violent criminal history and, in the past weeks, Meagher contacted the Douglas County 911 dispatch center and advised that he was in the Sheriff’s Office parking lot and he wanted deputies to come out and kill him. It was later learned that Meagher was not in the Sheriff’s Office parking lot when he made this threat. Meagher also contacted the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office and stated, they better be prepared to kill him.
At the traffic stop, Meager exited the passenger side of the vehicle with a knife and a standoff with deputies ensued. Deputies gave multiple verbal commands for Meager to drop the knife and comply, but he refused. Meagher began walking toward Ironwood Park, at which time deputies attempted to stop Meager with the use of multiple taser hits, which were ineffective. A number of less lethal shotgun bean bag rounds were deployed, but they were also ineffective.
In order to stop Meager who was still in possession of the knife and threatening deputies, a patrol canine was deployed. Meager unsuccessfully attempted to stab the canine. Meagher was then hit with another taser deployment which temporarily immobilized him. Deputies moved in to initiate the arrest, and during the struggle, Meagher stabbed one deputy in the arm. Subsequently, Meagher was taken into custody.
The deputy was transported to the hospital with a non-life threatening wound and treated and released.
Meager was also transported to the hospital for evaluation. After Meagher was released from the hospital, he was booked into the Douglas County Jail on his outstanding warrant from Nevada P&P and for battery with a deadly weapon on a Peace Officer, battery with a deadly weapon by a probationer, resisting arrest while armed with a deadly weapon and attempting to kill a police canine