A drunk fan allegedly groped mascot Lobo Lucy at a home football game against TCU on Saturday, according to a UNMPD report.
Daniel Candelaria witnessed the incident and said he and a friend called police 15 minutes after Anthony Chavez walked up to the mascot for a photo, posed with his right arm around Lucy and allegedly groped her breast, according to the police report. He said the woman in the Lobo Lucy costume will pursue charges against Chavez.
“I was more in shock that the whole thing happened. I stood there stunned,” Candelaria said. “The general consensus was, ‘Did that just really happen?’ He basically thought it was a kick for him, and when Lucy pushed him he stumbled when he was pushed away.”
Witnesses said the man was intoxicated when he approached the 18-year-old female student who was dressed as Lucy during the game. They said she was posing for photos with children and giving high fives before Chavez came down to the north end zone and allegedly groped the mascot.
Lamberto Armijo, another witness, said Chavez came back moments later, this time with two other friends and did the same thing.
“I was in shock, but it pissed me off because she is my friend,” Armijo said. “She was pretty upset.”
Officers found Chavez in the north concourse, and he said he had no contact with any cheerleader. After a witness identified Chavez, he admitted to taking a picture but denied inappropriate contact, according to the report.
Police detained Chavez and escorted him from the stadium.
The Athletics Department did not comment on the incident. The Daily Lobo does not name victims of criminal sexual contact without their consent.
