A man suspected of throwing rocks at a hospital security officer and attempting to disarm a Las Cruces police officer was arrested late Sunday evening.
Sergio Sotelo, 26, of the 1600 block of Valencia Drive, is charged with two fourth-degree felony counts of battery on a peace officer. Sotelo is also charged with two misdemeanor counts of resisting, evading or obstructing an officer and one misdemeanor count of battery.
Shortly before 8 p.m., Sunday, June 21, Las Cruces police were dispatched to a home on Ridgetop Avenue where Sotelo was reportedly acting violent and throwing items about the residence. Officers took Sotelo into protective custody and transported him to Memorial Medical Center for evaluation.
At about 10:30 p.m., the staff at MMC called 911 for assistance with Sotelo who was acting disorderly and throwing rocks at security personnel. Police learned one security officer was struck on his shoulder by a rock thrown by Sotelo. The security officer was not seriously injured.
A responding Las Cruces police officer located Sotelo on Telshor Boulevard near Huntington Drive. Sotelo refused to abide by commands from the officer and approached her in an aggressive and threatening manner. Sotelo tried to disarm the officer by grabbing her Taser, but the officer was able to defend herself. A second officer arrived and helped take Sotelo to the ground where he was successfully detained.
One LCPD officer received numerous scrapes and abrasions but was not seriously injured.
Sotelo was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he is initially being held without bond.