A Gallup man is facing child abuse charges after he allegedly punched a minor following a brief incident.
On Nov. 7, Gallup Police Officers Charlie Watkins and Francis Collins were dispatched to a house on the 300 block of Black Diamond Canyon Drive.
When they met with the 16-year-old victim they noticed that he had a bloody nose, and that the white shirt he was wearing was also covered in blood. The victim explained that he’d come over to the house to help the resident with some phone issues. When he was leaving the house, he saw a man he knew, Octavio Marquez III, 18, walking up a nearby street.
According to Watkins’ report, the victim said he’d pulled his car up in front of Marquez. The victim allegedly called out to Marquez and told him to leave the area and the resident alone.
The situation reportedly escalated when Marquez grabbed a cup of ice water and threw it at the victim. Marquez eventually was able to punch the victim in the face twice.
After the victim was hit in the face he managed to drive away from Marquez.
Watkins wrote up a warrant request for Marquez’s arrest and a judge signed it that same day. Marquez was charged with child abuse because at the time of the incident he was 18 years old while the victim was only 16. He was finally located, arrested, and booked into the McKinley County Adult Detention Center on Feb. 4.
His jury trial is scheduled for Aug. 6 at McKinley County Magistrate Court.
Staff Reports
