By Roger Lanse

According to a Silver City Police Department incident report, an officer was dispatched to Gila Regional Medical Center on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018, at about 4:46 a.m., in reference to an aggravated battery. The Grant County Sheriff’s Department, had previous contact with the male, identified as Joseph Chavez, of Santa Clara, in Hurley prior to the incident on an overdose on heroin call, where Chavez refused treatment. The Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority advised that Chavez had left the scene in a white Chrysler 300.

According to the report, the victim stated GRMC security guards were waiting outside for Chavez because they knew an overdose patient was possibly en route from Hurley. The victim stated when Chavez arrived he was in the back seat of the Chrysler which was being driven by a female. The report said Chavez refused to get out of the vehicle. Suddenly, according to the victim, Chavez jumped from the back seat into the driver’s seat and tried to leave in the vehicle.

Because Chavez was under the influence of heroin, the victim said he reached inside to try and put the vehicle in park to prevent Chavez from leaving. The victim said Chavez grabbed onto his arm as he was driving away and the victim fell while the vehicle was moving.

A SCPD patrolman spoke with the victim, a security guard at GRMC, as he was being treated by GRMC staff in the emergency room and observed numerous cuts and swellings on the face of the 58-year-old victim.

The case has been forwarded to the district attorney’s office for review and possible charges.

Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.