TEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED DURING A FIGHT AT A PARTY

     On March 27, 2015 at approximately 3:46 a.m., Edwards County Sheriff’s Office received several calls reference a disturbance located in the 300 block of HWY 55 South, Rocksprings, TX. Upon arrival to the scene Deputies discovered a young man lying in the yard of the residence with multiple facial wounds and contusions. According to several participants at the party, a fight had ensued between the subject and others who had fled the scene prior to the arrival of the Officers. The subject was immediately transported by EMS to Uvalde Memorial Hospital in critical condition. Due to the severity of the injuries he sustained during the physical altercation, he was later transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center Trauma Unit in San Antonio, TX, where he remains critical condition. He and his family reside in Uvalde, TX.

     Witness statements revealed that a party of young teens and young adults was organized to celebrate the homecoming of a relative from the U.S. Army, which did involve alcohol consumption by minors in attendance as well as marijuana. A fight began due to jealousy as a subject began to flirt with a married female who was in attendance. The fight quickly escalated into a brawl involving a multitude of subjects each fighting one another and others trying to defend their friends. As the fighting continued, it spilled into the street and then ended with several subjects receiving minor injuries and one subject left barely clinging to life.  

     Sheriff Elliott stated, “This incident was totally avoidable by all persons involved and unnecessary violence should never have occurred for such trivial matters. Thank you to those people who rendered medical aid and to those brave parents who got involved and notified the authorities, this is what probably saved the young man’s life. Our prayers go out to the victims and their families as they struggle through this tragedy.”    

     The violations being investigated at this time are:

Sec. 22.01. ASSAULT. (a) A person commits an offense if the person: (1) intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes bodily injury to another, including the person's spouse; (2) intentionally or knowingly threatens another with imminent bodily injury, including the person's spouse; or (3) intentionally or knowingly causes physical contact with another when the person knows or should reasonably believe that the other will regard the contact as offensive or provocative.

Sec. 22.02. AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. (a) A person commits an offense if the person commits assault as defined in Sec. 22.01 and the person: (1) causes serious bodily injury to another, including the person's spouse; or (2) uses or exhibits a deadly weapon during the commission of the assault. (b) An offense under this section is a felony of the second degree.

Underage Drinking Laws

Minors who purchase, attempt to purchase, possess, or consume alcoholic beverages, as well as minors who are intoxicated in public or misrepresent their age to obtain alcoholic beverages, face the following consequences:

• Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500
• Alcohol awareness class
• 8 to 40 hours community service
• 30 to 180 days loss or denial of driver's license

If a minor is seventeen years of age or older and the violation is the third offense, the offense is punishable by a fine of $250 to $2,000, confinement in jail for up to 180 days or both, as well as automatic driver's license suspension.

A minor with previous alcohol-related convictions will have his or her driver's license suspended for one year if the minor does not attend alcohol awareness training that has been required by the judge.

Penalties for Providing Alcohol to a Minor

Adults who give alcohol to a minor also face a stiff penalty. The punishment for making alcoholic beverages available to a minor is a class A misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $4,000, confinement in jail for up to a year, or both. Additionally, the violator will have his or her driver´s license automatically suspended for 180 days upon conviction.

Persons 21 or older (other than the parent or guardian) can be held liable for damages caused by intoxication of a minor under 18 if the adult knowingly provided alcoholic beverages to a minor or knowingly allowed the minor to be served or provided alcoholic beverages on the premises owned or leased by the adult.

Sale to a minor is a class A misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $4,000, confinement up to a year in jail, or both.