Man beats attacker after hit in head with ax, police say

A Las Vegas man who had his head split open with an ax was able to fend off the attack and then beat his assailant, police said.

Gustavo Mares, 26, was booked at the Clark County Detention Center on suspicion of attempted murder and other felonies in the ax attack Thursday near the intersection of K Street and Owens Avenue. A Las Vegas police arrest report for Mares said the alleged victim, a man approximately 60 years old, was found wandering in the area with a wound to the head at 7:45 a.m.

“At the time of contact, (the victim) had a black shirt covering a wound on his head and had blood covering his face and chest,” a police officer wrote in the arrest report.

A witness told police the man was struck “in the top of the head with a small axe/hatchet.” The man was rushed to University Medical Center, where he underwent surgery for a gaping wound to the head and a skull fracture.

“(The victim) had a large, 5-6 inch hole and deep laceration to his head/skull,” police said. “The large hole to victim’s skull was clearly made by a hatchet.”

Police said the alleged victim met Mares at a bus stop on the morning of the attack. The alleged victim told police that Mares needed clothing and shoes, so they agreed to go to the alleged victim’s recreational vehicle parked nearby so he could sell Mares some extras. A witness who was in the RV at the time said he smoked methamphetamine with Mares before Mares demanded the alleged victim’s phone, brandished a small ax and struck the alleged victim.

A struggle ensued involving Mares, the alleged victim and the witness, police wrote. The three fell out of the RV and into the street, where the alleged victim and witness beat Mares. The alleged victim told police he beat Mares with “closed hand strikes.”

Mares was arrested in the neighborhood not long after the attack. Police said Mares acknowledged being in a fight with the alleged victim and witness but denied striking the alleged victim with an ax.

Las Vegas Justice Court records indicate Mares was booked at the county jail on suspicion of attempted murder, battery and robbery, all with use of a deadly weapon. A status check on the filing of a criminal complaint in the case is scheduled for Tuesday.

Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.