Argument ends with pointed rifle

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — An early morning Sunday argument, allegedly about the sport of cage fighting, resulted in one Bluewater man being arrested in connection with assault with a deadly weapon and a Grants man being arrested on a probation violation charge.

Grants Police Detective Sgt. John Castaneda said Eric Brinovec, 27, of Bluewater, was involved with another man in an argument about the sport at 1129 Houston. During the fray, Brinovec pulled out a rifle and held it to the other man’s head.

The incident allegedly occurred about 1 a.m., at the Houston residence, Castaneda said.

Police were sent to the address after a call to 911 was made by an anonymous caller, he said.

After a few minutes the Cibola County Sheriff’s Department and New Mexico State Police arrived on scene, to back up the Grants Police Special Weapons and Tactics Team, he said.

The house was surrounded and after about 45 minutes of talking with Brinovec, he and another man came out of the house and surrendered.

The second man arrested in the incident was Julian Chavez, 21, no current address available. He was charged in connection with violation of probation.

“He was not supposed to be at that address, as part of his probation,” Castaneda said. Some details about both suspects and the situation were still being developed and were unavailable at 10 a.m. today.

Castaneda said he did not know why Chavez was on probation did not know the type, make or caliber of the rifle that was allegedly used in the incident.

The rifle was found in a Chevrolet S-10 pickup at the residence, was left undisturbed in the pickup, which was towed to police headquarters where a search warrant was being written and was to go to a Cibola County Magistrate Court judge, so police could search the vehicle and retrieve the weapon.

Castaneda said alcohol was definitely involved as a number of open bottles were found in the residence.
“I would like to advise the public that arguments are not a situation to pull a weapon and aim it at someone,” Castaneda said.

“Even though the person may not intend to fire the weapon or shoot the person he or she is aiming at, accidents happen,” he said.

“Once you pull a weapon and aim it, that becomes at least a fourth-degree felony, maybe higher,” he said.

Fourth-degree felonies are punishable by 18 months in state prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both, if the individual is prosecuted and convicted of the charge.