Man claims PTSD caused crime spree involving gun

Police: Man claims PTSD caused crime spree involving gun
Posted on26 August 2011.
By Kelci Parks

A Pahrump man was arrested in the early morning hours yesterday after allegedly going on an alcohol and drug-induced crime spree. In less than two hours John David Radell, 43, was reported to have pulled a gun on three people in three separate locations.

Deputies were first dispatched to Paddy’s Pub on Pahrump Valley Boulevard just before midnight on Wednesday evening. Deputies discovered that Radell had allegedly pulled a gun and put it to the first victim’s head during some sort of verbal dispute outside of the bar. No shots were fired and Radell fled the scene before police could respond.

“It was pretty random. He just kept picking different locations,” said Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo.

The severity of the incidents increased a little each time. Less than 15 minutes after the first incident, deputies were dispatched to Terrible’s Country Store gas station on Highway 160 across from the entrance to Calvada Blvd. Witnesses there told police that Radell walked into the gas station and engaged in a verbal argument with a patron at the store. Radell then allegedly pulled out a gun and put it to the head of the second victim. Again, no shots were fired, but Radell allegedly pistol-whipped the patron and again fled the scene before deputies showed up.

The sheriff says that the suspect was not on foot, but driving from location to location.

Just before 2 a.m. Thursday, deputies responded to a suicide threat at 2240 S. Winery Rd., the suspect’s residence. The press release states that Radell had pointed the gun at his wife and then fired a shot into the wall.

Radell told police that his actions were an attempt to draw attention to his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that he claims resulted from his service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Radell’s claims to have served in the U.S. Army have yet to be confirmed, but the suspect told police that he served tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He also told them he was on medication for his PTSD.
read more here