A Gilroy man fought with a police officer who tried to break up
a scuffle between two patrons at a Morgan Hill bar.
A Gilroy man fought with a police officer who tried to break up a scuffle between two patrons at a Morgan Hill bar.
The officer was on patrol in the parking lot of StriXe Lounge, 650 Tennant Station Way, when he was waved inside to break up a fight about 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Morgan Hill Police Sgt. Jerry Neumayer said.
The officer grabbed one of the suspects, Juan D. Garcia, 26 of Gilroy, in an attempt to stop the fight. Garcia fought back with the officer, resulting in a struggle that quickly went to the floor.
During the fight, Garcia grabbed a Taser cartridge containing the weapon’s electrocuting prongs attached to the officer’s belt, Neumayer said.
Backup officers arrived to subdue Garcia before any serious injuries occurred.
Neumayer said the officer suffered a lump on his knee, and Garcia suffered a cut above his eye. Neither was hospitalized.
Garcia was arrested for threatening a police officer, resisting arrest, and assault and battery on a police officer. He was the only suspect arrested for being involved in the evening’s fighting.
Neumayer said police do not believe the original fight that led to the officer’s involvement was gang related.
MH woman dead in apparent suicide at motel
A Morgan Hill woman likely died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a local motel Saturday, though police are still investigating it as suspicious.
Lois Toft, 54, was bleeding from the center of her chest, where a single shot from a .357 caliber bullet entered, but was still breathing when police arrived to her room at the Holiday Motel, 16210 Monterey Road.
“It’s a possible suicide, but we’re investigating it as a suspicious death,” Morgan Hill Police Sgt. Jerry Neumayer said.
Police received a 911 call about the incident about 5:50 p.m., and Toft was deceased by the time paramedics arrived about 15 minutes later, according to Neumayer.
Toft had rented the motel room in her name, Neumayer said. Her friend, who had briefly stepped outside prior to the shooting, called 911 after hearing a gunshot coming from inside.
When police arrived, the gun suspected to have been used in the shooting was on the bed.
Neumayer said alcohol and prescription medications were present in the room.
