Knife-wielding man threatens city employee

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Phil Stake
Staff writer

GALLUP — Larry Davis, Jr., 32, faces an aggravated assault charge at Magistrate Court today after he allegedly threatened a city maintenance worker with a knife on the morning of Oct. 9.

The city employee, Rito Prieto, was hoisting the American flag in front of City Hall at around 5:45 a.m. last Thursday, when Davis approached with a knife clinched in his fist and asked “... do you want me to stick you?” according to Gallup Police Officer Clinton Pennington’s report.

Frightened, Prieto walked away, toward the entrance to City Hall, but the doors were locked. Two other city employees soon rounded the corner and chased Davis to the 2nd Street entrance to the Coal Avenue alleyway.

Prieto said Davis stopped there and stared at him.
Then Pennington drove by in his patrol unit and was flagged down by the city employees, not including Prieto, who said he was afraid to be seen by Davis while talking to police. Prieto “seemed to be very scared and nervous,” as Pennington interviewed him, according to the report.

Davis’ court records reveal a history of child abuse and battery upon a household member. He was charged with two prior counts of aggravated assault in July of 2004, but the case was dismissed, according to court records.

Coincidentally, Davis’ defense attorney in 2004 was David Pederson, who now serves as the city’s attorney in an office at City Hall.