By Roger Lanse

According to police reports, Michael M. Reyes, 35, of Silver City, held Gila Regional Medical Hospital emergency room staff at bay, Monday, Oct. 9, around 10:12 p.m., after punching a female clerk. Reyes, who had a warrant issued for his arrest due to a prior incident earlier that day at the hospital, had grabbed a chair from the ER waiting room and used it in a threatening manner to gain entrance into the ER, preventing doctors and nurses from having access to their patients.

Witnesses stated, according to the reports that Reyes gained entry to the ER by swinging the chair in an aggressive manner and yelling and threatening that he would hurt them.

When Silver City police officers arrived they found Reyes in the ER nurse’s station. He refused to comply with officers’ commands to calm down and place his hands behind his back, the reports stated. Instead he ignored commands and resisted, including kicking one of the officers in the leg causing it to bleed. Officers were finally able to wrestle Reyes to the ground and place ankle shackles and handcuffs on him.

Reyes continued to be combative and resistant in the parking lot. After being placed in the back of a Grant County Sheriff’s Department unit, still being combative, officers requested the New Mexico State Police to transport him in their Chevrolet Tahoe and four SCPD officers accompanied Reyes to the Grant County Detention Center.

As of Tuesday afternoon. Oct 10, Reyes continues to be held at GCDC.

Reyes has been charged with seven counts of aggravated assault on health care personnel, third degree felonies; one count of battery on a police officer, a fourth degree felony; aggravated assault, a fourth degree felony; aggravated battery, a misdemeanor; and, resisting a police officer, a misdemeanor.