On July 17, Mesquite Police Officers were called regarding an alleged drunk driver in the area of Mesa Blvd in Mesquite. The suspect driver was observed by citizens crashing his vehicle into a tree and a sign, causing significant property damage. A short time later Mesquite Officers located the suspect, at which time the suspect fled from the officers on foot.
An officer was able to locate and stop the suspect and while attempting to take him into custody, the suspect assaulted the officer. The suspect was partially handcuffed and was able to strike the officer multiple times in the head with the officer’s handcuffs. The suspect was also able to bite the officer on the arm.
Once the suspect was safely transported to the Mesquite Detention Center, the suspect again assaulted a corrections officer, striking the officer multiple times before the officer was able to control the suspect.
Thomas Collins, 48, of Mesquite, NV, was arrested and charged with: One felony count of battery with a deadly weapon, one felony count of resisting a police officer with a deadly weapon, one felony count of battery by a prisoner, one misdemeanor count of battery on a Police Officer, one misdemeanor count of duty upon damaging unattended property, and one misdemeanor count of obstructing a public officer.
Due to the felony charges, Collins was transported and booked into the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas, NV.
I’m surprised the suspect wasn’t shot which would have been justified. Great restraint on the officers part.
Shooting any unarmed person is never justified. The police did an excellent job in this case. If only other police in other cities had done the same thing, we would not be having all the trouble we are having now. Mesquite Police, keep up the great job!
In other cities the suspects had weapons. That was the threat. Carole R.
This suspect is known to me. He has a mental condition and was in the middle of a psychotic break. The police were not able to restrain him with handcuffs because he only has one arm. I am greatful for how the police handled him, it could have had a much worse outcome and sad for any harm that they received.. My hope is that while incarcerated he will receive the mental health treatment he so desperately needs. This is such a sad time for all of us who know him and what a great person his is when managed.
I know him too and I completely agree with you. It’s so sad to hear this, though. 🙁
This breaks my heart. I am sure that most folks reading this arrest article have formed the obvious opinions of Tom, based on this one event. I am a friend of Tom’s and until this break with reality, I knew him as a really nice person with a very good heart – super supportive of the police department and the kind of person in our town that periodically drops off large bags of dog food to the animal shelter. I am big on accountability and Tom has to answer for what happened. I am also a big fan of the police and what they do and the danger they put themselves in for our community. There is one nagging question that I have, though, that maybe someone can answer for me. Why would a deadly weapon (handcuffs) be attached to a man with one arm whom the police already had knowledge that he was in a combative state of mind? I know that the police’s job is to try to diffuse a given situation and not ramp it up. It seems to me that handcuffing one wrist, when there is not another wrist to attach a handcuff to, is pointless. So it appears there is no good reason to insert the “deadly weapon” (handcuffs) into the mix. I would hope that the police would have a policy in place for neutralizing people with only one arm – perhaps something like a strait jacket. It appears that without the handcuffs dangling from Tom’s one arm, the police may have been safer with less injuries and Tom would not have “deadly weapon” charges added to his other offenses.
This is why we need to respect our Police personal they’re here to protect us.