HELPER, Utah, Nov. 11, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Two men are being held without bail after a Sunday afternoon brawl in Helper involving 10 to 15 people.
Joseph Manuel Jesus Lopez, 32, and Oscar Efren Flores Cazares, 27, were arrested for investigation of identical alleged crimes:
- Aggravated assault produces loss of consciousness, a second-degree felony
- Aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, a second-degree felony
- Assault, a class B misdemeanor
Two juveniles also were taken into custody.
Helper City Police officers were dispatched at 3:52 p.m. Sunday to a location on Bryner Street. Officers from the Carbon County Sheriff‘s Office and Price City Police also responded.
Officers arrived to find one victim unconscious on the sidewalk, one with a broken jaw, and one with a bloody lip, say arrests documents filed by a Helper PD officer.
The unconscious man was transported to Castleview Hospital for evaluation, the men’s affidavits say. Doctors there determined that man “had two broken orbital sockets, severe swelling to the right eye, and possible swelling in his brain.” He was transported to Utah Valley Hospital for additional care.
The man with the broken jaw was driven in a personal vehicle to Castleview Hospital, where it was determined that besides the broken jaw, he had bleeding from his mouth and several missing teeth. He also was transferred to Utah Valley Hospital.
The man who had bloody lips refused transport to a hospital.
Seven witnesses agreed to talk with law enforcement officials. They said a red Chevy Malibu pulled up in front of a residence, and “four male subjects got out of the car and started punching and kicking people. The witnesses had taken pictures of the vehicle and the four male subjects.”
The four males were identified as Lopez, Flores, and the two juveniles, both 16, who were arrested and booked into a juvenile detention center. The affidavits of the adults say the juveniles were booked for investigation of aggravated assault.
Affidavits also noted that Lopez is a registered gang member who is currently on parole. In addition, Flores is on probation. Flores, Lopez and one of the juveniles are related.
The arresting officer also noted that the men pose a flight risk, and “with the Sureno gang, the chances of continual retaliation between (them) and the victims are high.”
Lopez and Flores were ordered to be held without bail.
