By Roger Lanse

According to a Silver City Police Department report, officers were dispatched to the intersection of 12th and Pope streets Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, at approximately 2:17 a.m., in reference to people fighting. When officers arrived they encountered about 30 individuals, some juveniles, fighting in the middle of the street, most of which ran away when they heard and saw the officers' lights and sirens.

Two females, later identified as Angelica Holguin, 27, of Arenas Valley, and a juvenile, were observed fighting on the ground and pulling each other's hair, the report said. Holguin refused to obey the officer's repeated commands to let go of the female juvenile's hair, until she was threatened with tazing. As Holguin was being arrested for resisting a peace officer, officers noticed that she appeared to be severely beaten with scratches on her face, and she was transported to Gila Regional Medical Center complaining of a back injury.

Officers interviewed Michael Delgado, 33, of Las Cruces, who stated, according to the report, he was notified that Holguin, his aunt, and Nicholas Maldonado, 28, of Silver City, were fighting and when he arrived on scene and attempted to separate the two, he was attacked by 12-20 individuals. Officers noticed that Maldonado also appeared to be severely beaten. He was seen by EMS and transported to GRMC.

Several witnesses stated, the report said, that Holguin and Maldonado began fighting and some of them went to help Maldonado because he had a child in his arms. When Delgado joined the fray, several of the guys proceeded to attack him, the witnesses said.

Delgado and two juveniles were cited for public affray. Delgado was released with a citation to appear and was transported to GRMC. One of the juveniles was released to her father, the other to her grandmother. An officer took the child into custody and later released it to a named female with CYFD approval.

Holguin was charged with resisting, evading, or obstructing an officer; battery; and disorderly conduct and after being seen at GRMC was booked into the Grant County Detention Center. According to GCDC staff, Holguin was released on Monday, Oct. 19, on her own recognizance.