Morgan Hill
– A 19-year-old Stockton man and
”
known member
”
of a Gilroy gang was taken to county jail early Sunday morning
after allegedly roughing up his girlfriend and threatening to stab
her, police said.
Morgan Hill – A 19-year-old Stockton man and “known member” of a Gilroy gang was taken to county jail early Sunday morning after allegedly roughing up his girlfriend and threatening to stab her, police said.
Damian Reyes was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, domestic battery causing traumatic injury, false imprisonment, brandishing a weapon and domestic battery.
Reyes is a member of a Gilroy Sureno gang, but not on probation or parole, police said.
The incident began as Reyes and his 18-year-old girlfriend _ also from the Stockton area – were on their way to Gilroy on U.S. 101 to visit friends. While driving through Gilroy, they had an argument about another man. The woman told police Reyes became enraged and slapped her. As they exited onto 10th Street in Gilroy, she jumped out of the pickup while it was still moving, attempting to escape. She was scraped as she hit the pavement, injuring her back, buttocks and elbow.
Reyes stopped the vehicle, got out then grabbed her by the hair and dragged her back to the pickup forcing her inside, she told police. He allegedly threatened her with serious injury if she tried to escape again.
The couple did not stay long in Gilroy, the woman said. They drove to the Comfort Inn in Morgan Hill to stay the night, only staying with Reyes because she was afraid he would beat her again if she tried to escape, she told police. The argument began again, she said, and Reyes pulled out a knife with a 2-.5-inch folding blade and waved it at her, asking her if she knew what it felt like to “get stuck.”
When Reyes left the room to visit friends in Gilroy, the woman ran across the street to the Microtel Inn and asked the clerk to call police explaining that she had just escaped from her boyfriend and he was looking for her. When Reyes eventually did return, officers were waiting for him and he was arrested without incident about 1:15am Sunday.
The knife was recovered at the scene.
The woman did not request treatment for her injuries.
