Bernalillo man arrested after riot
Brawl draws statewide attention

Action 7 News cameraman Miguel Estrada sets up for broadcast Wednesday in a vacant lot across from Grants High School. Television crews camped out all day trying to uncover further information on the Tuesday night riot during a basketball game against the Bernalillo Spartans. (Photo by Jerry Wilson/Independent)

By Jim Tiffin
Staff Writer

GRANTS — Larry Archibeque, 47, of 404 Maryhill, Bernalillo, is in custody at the Cibola County Detention Center following a near riot in the gymnasium at Grants High School (GHS) Tuesday night.

The incident allegedly began when unidentified Grants High School students approached the visitor's section and began taunting the crowd at the end of the third quarter.

At the time, Grants was soundly beating Bernalillo, 70-33.

Archibeque is facing charges of aggravated battery on a peace officer; battery on a peace officer (two counts) ; assault on a peace officer (two counts); resisting, evading or obstructing an officer; criminal damage to property; and interfering with an athletic event, according to Cibola County Magistrate Court records.

The arrest was made by New Mexico State Police Officer Mike Cruz during an incident where Archibeque allegedly injured three Grants police officers while resisting attempts to remove him from the GHS gymnasium.

At one point, according to Cruz's report, he stated he observed a deputy sheriff approach Archibeque after he allegedly threw water at game officials and police officers. This incident occurred after Archibeque's wife was escorted out of the gymnasium. Several people were pointed out to be removed by the referees, according to the report.

Cruz's reported stated that when Cibola County Deputy Sheriff Tony Mace approached Archibeque in the stands and asked him to leave, Archibeque refused. Mace then tried to remove him by force and Archibeque resisted.

Cruz then approached Archibeque and tried to use a restraint technique on him, assisted by Grants Police Lt. Mike Trujillo and Officer Monica Porter. Sgt. Steve Sena and other officers were also involved but sustained no injuries. Three people were taken into custody but two were released without being arrested.

Blow to the face
Archibeque allegedly struck Porter in the face with his fist and Trujillo sustained a dislocated elbow and a cut requiring stitches in the emergency room at Cibola General Hospital.

Mace sustained a right sprained ankle and Cruz was struck in his upper left chest area, causing his uniform to tear.

"There were a number of officers working together to try to resolve the situation," said Lt. Jimmy Glascock, NMSP spokesman.

"We've had college fans become rowdy at games, but nothing like this in at least the past year in high schools in New Mexico," he said. "Alcohol was not a contributing factor."

Fred Radosevich, former Grants Police Chief who is now the police chief in Bernalillo, said while he was in Grants for 16 years, there were a few incidents in games between Bernalillo and Grants in the 1990s, but nothing of this magnitude as on Tuesday night.

"There has always been a rivalry between Bernalillo and Grants. They used to be in the same district and games were always competitive," he said. Radosevich retired as police chief from Grants in 2002.

Court records state that Archibeque was placed in restraints and arrested at the scene. Archibeque told officers he left the gym at one point with his family, escorted by police, who re-entered the gym. This was just minutes before the arrest incident at 8:35 p.m.

'Trampled'
He said he then returned to the gym to find his wife, "on the gymnasium floor being trampled."

He told police he tried to make his way to where his wife was and the next thing he knew he was on the gym floor.

When asked what his intention with the water bottle was, Archibeque replied, "It was stupid."

Archibeque told Cruz he was trying to throw water on a Grants fan who came over to the visitor's section to "cool him down."

Archibeque then told Cruz he could not recall the incident because, "It is still foggy."

Before the Bernalillo team left GHS, it trashed the girls locker room, breaking benches and a window.

Grants-Cibola County Schools Assistant Superintendent Gloria Chavez said, "What occurred last night (Tuesday) was unfortunate. The adults need to regroup. The kids did not become involved in the situation. Maybe the adults should have taken their direction from the kids.

"Our focus is on the kids, competition and rivalry is part of what we do but people should not get hurt," she said.

A meeting was held at 2 p.m. at the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) in Albuquerque where tapes from the game were to be reviewed by athletic directors including Elmer Chavez from Grants-Cibola, she said.

The meeting was not open to the public.

Following the meeting, NMAA Communications Coordinator Robert Zayas said that all future district playoff and championship games for 3A level schools, such as Grants and Bernalillo, will be held at neutral sites, to be fair to all the teams.

"The kids did a great job of listening to their coaches and the Grants administration and leaving the floor," he said.

There will be no new rules or procedures from the NMAA to try to prevent this type of occurrence from happening again, he said.

"Grants did a superb job of having enough security there, they had about 20 officers," he said.

"What we want to try to do is to keep the game from going into the stands and what happens in the stands from going onto the court," he said.

All the athletic directors from 3A schools met, whether at the NMAA offices in Albuquerque or by telephone conference call throughout the day, Zayas said.

All agreed on the new playoff and championship format.

Archibeque has a $20,000 cash or surety bond placed on him and faces major fines and lengthy jail time if prosecuted and found guilty of all counts.

— To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call 287-2197 or e-mail: jtiffin@blackmesa-isp.net.