UNM police arrested a man who reportedly assaulted a University student by pushing him over a wall outside Laguna DeVargas Residence Hall - which resulted in a fractured femur, a bone in the thigh.
Police were called to the residence hall Saturday at about 12:45 a.m. in response to a call of a male causing a disturbance, but, while they were en route, the call was upgraded to a fight in progress.
According to statements, the alleged assailant, Jason Arellano, approached the victim and a witness in the courtyard of the hall and asked them if they wanted to "mess" with him.
Before the witness could get between the victim and Arellano, he reportedly shoved the victim into a three-foot wall, which he then fell over. Then, Arellano reportedly turned and began to strike the witness.
After another witness intervened, Arellano ran from the hall. The witness then went to check on his friend, the victim.
The south side of the wall that the victim struck is three feet high, but is backed up to an eight-foot drop on its north side. According to the witness' statement, the victim fell the eight feet onto the sidewalk below and was unable to move because of injuries he sustained from the fall.
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After police arrived at the residence hall, a security guard pointed out the direction in which Arellano ran. UNM police then chased Arellano until they tackled him on Lomas Boulevard.
Police arrested Arellano and processed and booked him at the campus police station, then transported him to the Bernalillo County Detention Center.
The victim was taken by ambulance to the UNM Hospital and medicated for pain. According to the police report, medical staff diagnosed him with bilateral femur fractures. Staff told police that the victim has a degenerative bone disease that may have contributed to the injuries he sustained.
Arellano was charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, a felony and resisting/obstructing a police officer.
