Dotty’s Casino Incident Leads to Armed Suspect Allegedly Kicking Police Dog

Posted on: October 28, 2022, 08:52h. 

Last updated on: October 28, 2022, 02:00h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More

Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

A man remains in custody in Las Vegas after allegedly stealing a car, evading Metro cops, resisting arrest, and kicking a police dog. The confrontation started at a Dotty’s Casino in Las Vegas on Monday night.

The suspect, Chad Guerra, 35, was seen exiting a stolen Kia Optima that was left in a parking lot at the Dotty’s on Las Vegas Boulevard, KLAS, a local TV station, reported.

Before officers could reach him, Guerra fled to an apartment building on nearby Craig Road. Cops tried to stop him, but he ran back to the Dotty’s lot where he quickly entered the Kia and sped away. Metro cruisers and a police helicopter pursued Guerra. He jumped out of the car on D Street.

An officer gave chase and ordered him to surrender.

Suspect Tasered

Soon, a police dog assigned to another cruiser also reached the crime scene. The dog was let loose and bit Guerra. The suspect fell to the ground and suffered a wrist injury.

Guerra kicked and assaulted the dog, police said. Officers tasered Guerra to avoid the dog getting stabbed. (Guerra was holding a makeshift knife attached to a clamp, KLAS said. No firearm was ever found.)

Guerra eventually was apprehended. He suffered unspecified injuries and received treatment at University Medical Center. The police dog wasn’t injured in the incident. Nor did the officers suffer injuries.

Guerra was booked at Clark County Detention Center and remained in custody as of Friday morning.

Upon his arrest, cops found three debit cards that belonged to other people, as well as a glass pipe associated with methamphetamine (meth) use.

Guerra was arrested on nine charges, including possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of credit/debit cards without the owner’s consent, assault with a deadly weapon on a first responder, resisting a public officer with a deadly weapon, driver disobeying an officer, endangering others, mistreating a police animal, carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Dotty’s Casino is a chain of gaming properties that feature slot machines. They have locations in Nevada, Oregon, and Montana.

Recent Dotty’s Violence

In recent months, two other Dotty’s locations saw violent incidents. On October 13, two victims were shot outside a Dotty’s Casino in Spring Valley, Nev. Details on the shootings weren’t immediately available.

That casino is located at the intersection of Rainbow Boulevard and Twain Avenue, about four miles west of the Las Vegas Strip.

In May, a winning female player was robbed at another Dotty’s location, at Flamingo Road and Jones Boulevard, also in Spring Valley.

The alleged robber, Samuel Schmid, 28, apparently targeted the winning player after she won about $30K at the casino.

Gibellina had run into the parking lot after the robbery to prevent Schmid’s escape. He allegedly pulled out a firearm when she approached the vehicle. She then moved behind the SUV, which backed up and ran her over. She died an hour later from blunt force injuries, the Clark County coroner’s office ruled.

Schmidt and a second suspect, James Holmes, 54, both face murder, robbery, and other charges. Their cases are pending in local court.