Document details downtown McAllen fight where officer was assaulted

McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A criminal complaint obtained by ValleyCentral details the chain of events that took place during a downtown McAllen fight that led to the assault of an officer.

Sergio Contreras Sandoval, 18, from Mission, and Alexander Andree Flores, 17, from Alton, were arrested in connection with the McAllen fight and were arraigned on Monday morning.

According to the offense report, at approximately 2:06 a.m. on Sunday, authorities responded to the 200 block of 17th Street regarding a large crowd of people screaming.

Photo courtesy: McAllen Police Department

At the scene, authorities observed a large group of people and several fights occurring in the area. Police attempted to separate two men fighting in the street, who were yelling foul language at each other, the document states.

The complaint details that while authorities attempted to separate the men from fighting, they disregarded police commands.

Police grabbed one man by his shirt and escorted him to the ground so he could stop fighting the other man, who was later identified as Sandoval.

While an officer was on the ground with the second suspect, Sandoval got close to them and began to throw kicks at the man and the officer's face.

According to the report, to attempt to dodge Sandoval's kicks, the officer leaned back, was able to dodge the kicks, stood up, grabbed Sandoval from the shoulders, and escorted him to the ground.

Authorities say during the arrest, the officer told Sandoval to put his hands behind his back but he refused and would stiffen his arms. Other officers arrived at the scene and assisted in the arrest.

The report detailed that at the same location, an officer attempted to arrest a man, later identified as Flores, she was punched on the forehead and the right eye area by the man, causing a laceration on her forehead.

The officer attempted to stop Flores from running away by grabbing him by the shirt, but the shirt ripped, and Flores escaped from the scene, according to the report.

Videos of the assault began circulating on social media, where it appeared to show a man wearing a white t-shirt attacking a female officer on the ground before showing a clear image of the alleged suspect leaving the area.

At approximately 5:02 a.m., McAllen police responded to a store located at the 700 block of S 10th Street regarding a man matching the description of the suspect assaulting an officer from the videos circulating on social media.

Police spoke with the cashier of the store, who informed the officer, the suspect had left in a Taxicab. Authorities were able to locate the taxi driver who picked up the suspect matching the description provided by the cashier.

The taxi driver told detectives he picked up a man wearing a white shirt, blue jeans at the store and took him to an apartment complex located at the 800 block of N. Shary Road in Alton.

Video from the store showed a man who matched the description of the suspect who assaulted the officer in Downtown McAllen.

Additionally, the taxi driver told police that, while taking the man to his destination, he told him that he punched a police officer.

At the apartment complex, detectives came across a man who matched the description provided by the taxi driver. He identified himself as Alexander Flores.

Flores was detained and taken to the McAllen Police Department, where he admitted to punching a police officer. Additionally, he told detectives he was fighting with a man wearing a baby blue shirt.

He claimed that when he was grabbed and taken to the ground, he saw a baby blue shirt and punched the person; it was then that he realized it was a police officer, backed away and left the scene, the report stated.

He later told officers afterwards he ended up in the store and was taken home by the taxi driver.

Flores was charged with resisting arrest, assault on a peace officer, and evading arrest and issued a bond of $250,000.

Sandoval was detained for his involvement in the fight and charged with public intoxication, resisting arrest, and interference with public duties.

He was  issued a total bond of $100,000 with time served/deferment on the charge of public intoxication, according to a news release from McAllen PD. Authorities say an agreement was arranged between Sandoval and the court.

This is an ongoing investigation.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the McAllen Crime Stoppers at (956) 687-TIPS (8477).