An outing to a concert turned violent when one man punched a young girl.
While officers were clearing out the parking lot of the Sports Page Lounge, 1400 S. Second St., on July 31, a woman approached them and explained that a man had punched her daughter.
The woman led the officers over to a car that was parked on the northside of the parking lot. When the officers arrived at the vehicle, they noticed a man, who was later identified as Raymond Clark, lying down on the ground next to the vehicle.
According to Gallup Police Officer Aaron Marquez’s report, the 16-year-old victim was sitting in the back of the vehicle, holding the left side of her head, and crying.
When Marquez spoke to the victim, she explained that she had been at the Wowie’s Event Center seeing a concert. The victim said that she’d gotten to the vehicle first when the three of them were about to leave, and she sat in the driver’s seat waiting for her mother and Clark.
When the two adults arrived at the car, Clark allegedly opened the driver side door and punched the minor in the head.
The victim said she didn’t black out, but she was dizzy.
The victim’s mother backed up her daughter’s story. She said they’d gone to Wowie’s because her daughter wanted to see a band perform. The mother said that she and Clark had begun drinking at the concert, and that Clark had gotten upset when some people around them started making jokes.
Clark eventually got up and went outside, and the victim’s mother went outside to look for him soon after. The two adults eventually found each other, and started walking back to the vehicle they came in. The victim’s mother said Clark kept asking about the victim and where she was while they walked back to the car.
The victim’s mother said that when Clark punched her daughter in the head, she pushed him to the ground, and then she saw the police officers and asked for help.
According to Marquez’s report, Clark was too intoxicated to give a statement.
The officers called medical personnel to come check on the victim and Clark. The victim only had some redness on her head. A family member came and picked the victim up at a local hospital.
Clark was arrested for child abuse. His preliminary examination is scheduled for Aug. 10.
Staff Reports
