RE: Remember This Guy??
Hughes bound over on grand larceny charges
By JOHN SENTS - Staff Writer
Friday, December 19, 2008 12:23 PM PST
ELKO - Former Elko police Capt. Aaron Hughes was bound over Thursday to Elko District Court on a grand larceny charge stemming from an incident in which he allegedly stole an ATV and tools from the shuttered Jerritt Canyon Mine.
Hughes was out on a hunting trip near the mine site Aug. 24. According to Hughes' attorney, William Routsis, he was drinking beer with a friend at a camp site and the friend left. Hughes continued drinking, Routsis said, and left the area, exploring a mine site before getting on Jerritt Canyon property and “joy riding” on ATVs.
He rode two ATVs on the mine property. The first he left on one of its roads. A security officer saw him mounting a second ATV on a trailer and stopped him. He left after giving a false name to the security guard and claiming he was a former Jerritt Canyon employee there to take back items he left behind. The security guard said he called police after Hughes left with what appeared to be a tool box from the mine site.
Hughes allegedly came back to the area and continued to ride an ATV, taking it off the property.
Routsis said Hughes passed out during the early hours of the morning before waking up, seeing security lights and realizing the situation he was in. He dumped the ATV and tools and left the area before Elko County sheriff's deputies stopped his truck and arrested him.
Hughes later helped law enforcement locate the items. Routsis claims Hughes had every intention of returning the items to the mine site. Dorothy Rowley, Eureka County deputy district attorney, claimed it is not clear that was the case.
Routsis painted a picture of a dedicated law enforcement officer of good character in the midst of a divorce out hunting, drinking beer and blowing off steam. He said Hughes was out “howling at the moon” and characterized the Jerritt Canyon incident as “joy riding” - not theft.