By Roger Lanse
Grant County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to the Gateway Restaurant/Motel on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, at about 3:24 p.m. in reference to a welfare check. The Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority had received a call from a male who advised Rick Anzer in Room 124 was beating up his girlfriend and had a .380 and a 9mm and advising he would fight law enforcement if they showed up.
When deputies arrived ,they spoke with the owner of the motel and discovered the male who the owner identified as Rick Anzer lying on the ground between a white car and a white Dodge pickup. When deputies asked his name, he said it was Rudy and that he was working on a friend's vehicle but could not give a last name for his friend. After deputies told him they were looking for a Rick Anzer, the male told them his name was Jose Vargas.
The male then began to walk away from the deputies, and despite being commanded to stay where he was, the male continued to walk toward the restaurant/motel with a drill in his hand saying he was going to see the owner. Running and entering the lobby of the business, the male held the entrance door shut so the deputy could not open it. The male continued to run from the deputy around the interior of the restaurant and kitchen area until the deputy tased him, stopping his running. He was handcuffed and placed in the back of a patrol unit. EMS arrived on scene and pronounced the male 'ok.'
While he was being taken to Gila Regional Medical Center for further treatment, he stated to the deputy his real name was Rick Aniar however, the GCRDA was unable to locate any of the names the male gave in either the local or national databases. The male also stated he did not know his Social Security number.
The male was checked into the Grant County Detention Center as a John doe until he could be identified. The unidentified male has been charged with resisting, evading, or obstructing a peace officer and concealing identity.
GCDC staff told the Beat that no one named John Doe, Rick Anziar, Rick Anzer, or Jose Vargas was ever booked into the detention center, but possibly after he was brought in, his real name was determined, and he was booked into the detention center under that name.
The Bayard and Santa Clara police departments assisted in the apprehension of the unidentified male.