ROCK SPRINGS — A Rock Springs man is being held on a $100,000 cash or surety bond following an alleged incident with police that resulted in two felony charges.
Joshua Shane Nugent, 45, of Rock Springs, is charged with felony aggravated assault and battery, felony use or possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, misdemeanor interference with a peace officer, and misdemeanor breach of peace. Aggravated assault carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine, while the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon carries a prison sentence of up to three years and a possible fine of $5,000. For the misdemeanors, interference with a peace officer has a possible penalty of up to one year in jail and a potential fine of up to $1,000, while breach of peace carries a potential jail sentence of up to six months and a fine of up to $750. A preliminary hearing was set for Oct. 20.
During Nugent’s initial appearance before Circuit Court Judge John Prokos Monday, prosecuting attorney Gus Wagner proposed a $100,000 cash or surety bond citing the alleged danger to officers Nugent posed prior to and during his arrest, as well as the allegation that he fired a firearm in his garage. Nugent asked for a lower bond amount to allow him to continue working and providing a home for his family, but Prokos agreed with Wagner’s request and set bond at $100,000 cash or surety.
According to court documents, Rock Springs Police Officers were dispatched to an address on Angle Street where they contacted a neighbor of Nugent’s, who claimed to have checked on him after hearing a gunshot fired outside. The neighbor said Nugent claimed he planned to kill himself that night and hung up the phone. The neighbor tried calling Nugent back several times but was unable to talk with Nugent again.
An officer attempted to contact Nugent, who asked to be left alone and said he wanted officers to shoot him. Friends of Nugent’s arrived, saying they were concerned about Nugent’s safety and were able to take a gun away from him, which was collected by the officers. They said Nugent’s state was escalating and alleged he shot his motorcycle’s fuel tank and had thrown lit cigarettes at the bike to start a fire.
Nugent stepped outside of the home briefly but returned inside and again said officers would have to kill him, also allegedly saying he had a surprise for the officers if they came into his home. Officers later witnessed one of Nugent’s friends fight with him inside the house and entered the house as they wrestled each other to the ground. Officers attempted to detain Nugent, but he allegedly fought against their attempts. After he was detained, the friend who fought Nugent alleged Nugent had an antler he planned to charge at officers with, which was the cause of their fight.
Officers received permission to look in the house’s garage, where they found “an overwhelming smell of gasoline, a cigarette butt near the puddle of gasoline, and multiple bullet fragments.” They found five spent 9mm bullet casings around the motorcycle and five bullet holes in the vehicle.
