Criminal Trespass and Resisting, Evading or Obstructing an Officer
On Sept. 23, two officers were sent to a bathroom on the third floor of the University of New Mexico Student Union Building because of a man’s disorderly conduct, according to a UNM Police Department report. SUB staff and UNMPD know the man well, due to many other past incidents. He was given a letter that banned him from campus on April 5, 2018. He has returned to campus multiple times since the ban and has been reminded that he cannot be on campus.
When the officers arrived, a custodian said he saw the man in the men’s restroom on the third floor washing dishes in the sink. The custodian saw there was water on the counter, placed a washcloth there and told the man to clean the mess when he was done.
The custodian said the man immediately became angry and started to yell obscenities at him. The man refused to clean the mess and said, “That’s your job.” He also threw water at the custodian with his hands. The custodian decided to leave the restroom and call UNMPD.
As the officers reached the men’s room, one of them saw the man walking toward a trash can near the open door. That officer called the man by his name and told him he knew he should not be on campus.
The man said, “‘Who told you that?’”
The officer said multiple officers gave him multiple ban letters. Then the officer told him to place his hands behind his back, but the man turned to face the officer. The officer told him to place his hands behind his back again, and the man backed up.
The officer then grabbed the man’s wrist, and the man tensed up, telling the officer not to touch his body. The officer told him he was under arrest. The man tried to pull his arm away from the officer, who then pushed him against the wall. The other officer grabbed the man’s left arm, and after around 30 seconds, the officers handcuffed the man. The man tried to pull his arms away but was unable to.
The man was escorted to a UNMPD patrol vehicle. During the escort, the man continuously told one of the officers not to touch his body and that the officer “was making a mistake, that the courts continue to dismiss his charges while warning (the officers that they) are doing wrong and that he is an attorney and is preparing a case against (one of the officers),” the report states. The man resisted walking and the officer needed to push him out of the SUB.
The man was taken to the UNMPD station. One of the officers completed the booking paperwork and took him to the Prisoner Transport Center. He was booked under criminal trespass and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer. A bag the man carried with him into the bathroom was tagged into safekeeping at UNMPD. A tape recording was also tagged into evidence at UNMPD.
Battery on Healthcare Personnel at UNMH
On the evening of Sept. 24, UNMPD was sent to the UNMH trauma unit, according to a police report. Upon arrival, a nurse told an officer she was caring for a male patient who was involved in a motor vehicle collision and pulled out his IV.
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After the IV was replaced, the patient tried to get out of bed. He ripped off his cervical collar and yelled that his leg was not broken. He grabbed the nurse from behind, placing her in a chokehold. Witnesses and an additional victim helped her break free of the hold.
A doctor said he tried to reduce the intensity of the situation. The patient calmed down and was back in bed, but then the patient suddenly said an obscenity and fought again. When the doctor tried to subdue him, the patient bit his arm, the report states. Although the bite did not break through the doctor’s skin, it was painful.
The patient was restrained and sedated to prevent him from harming himself and others. When an officer went to the patient’s room, he was still sedated and could not give a statement.
Wrongful Use of Public Property on Lomas Blvd. SE
On the morning of Sept. 25, officers were sent to 1700 Lomas Blvd. SE, because a man was “‘relieving’ himself” in front of the business center, according to a report. After hearing a description of the individual over the radio, officers found a subject matching the description in front of 1700 Lomas Blvd. SE.
Officers spoke with the male who appeared to have “freshly smeared feces on his shorts,” the report states. There was also “a large pile of moist feces and a stream of urine” about 10 feet away from where the male was standing, the report states.
The male apologized for going to the bathroom near the building, but he could not wait any longer and “‘had to go,’” the report states. Officers gave the male a misdemeanor citation for Wrongful Use of Public Property and a verbal Criminal Trespass warning. Officers told the male that unless he had legitimate business, he cannot come back to campus.
Facilities Management was called to remove the feces and urine and sanitize the space.
Battery at the Duck Pond
On the late evening of Sept. 26, an officer was sent to the Duck Pond, because a male student “took a swing at the reporting (party’s) friend,” according to a UNMPD report. The person who reported the incident said he and others were holding down the man who tried to hit his friend.
After arriving, the officer saw several individuals gathered around the male student who was lying face-down on the ground with a swollen cheek and a bleeding nose. When he stood up, the officer could smell alcohol on his breath, and he was not able to stand still. The officer called for rescue.
When the incident happened, about 20 cosplayers were portraying Star Wars characters with lightsabers. Two of the cosplayers — one reported the incident, the other said the male student tried to hit him — said the male student tried to steal their large box of pizza, and “they stopped him.” The male student tried to hit one of the cosplayers, and the cosplayer hit him on the left cheek, causing him to fall and hit his nose against a cement wall.
The person who reported the incident was a witness. The cosplayer who said he was almost hit said he did not want to file charges. The male student said he started a fight and was hit and an ambulance then transported him to UNMH.
— Briefs compiled by Elizabeth Sanchez
