By Roger Lanse

Two Bayard Police Department officers and an officer from the Santa Clara Police Department were dispatched to a domestic disturbance at 113 S. Yucca Street in Bayard on Sunday, May 19, 2024, at about 5:45 p.m. When officers arrived, they found two males on the ground, with one, later identified as Danny Ray Young, 38, of Santa Clara, having the other in a headlock.

According to a BPD incident report, Young resisted when officers attempted to cuff him and place him in investigative detention, saying, "Kill me, shoot me, just kill me." An officer requested an ambulance and Young was cleared medically by EMS.

The victim, a 36-year-old of Bayard, told officers he went out to get some groceries, the report said, and when he came back he saw Young in the back of the house with a chainsaw. Young said, "I'm tired of the dogs." Throwing the chainsaw down, the report stated, Young told the victim, "I just want people to know I'm covered in blood and dangerous so the cops will show up and shoot me."

The victim then said Young punched him in the face several times with one hand while grabbing the victim's hair with the other. According to the report, the victim stated he wanted to press charges. The victim had bruising on his forehead and scratches on the arms.

Young was informed he was under arrest for battery but refused to enter the back seat of the police unit, the report said. Officers simultaneously pushed him from one side and pulled him from the other side of the unit, with Young finally being tased twice by officers. Young stated to officers, "I was going to kill the dogs, cover myself in blood, and walk towards officer with a knife so officers can shoot me."

While Young was being transported to Gila Regional Medical Center, he became unresponsive in the back of the unit, the report said. Because doctors would not treat Young until he was able to process what had happened, an on-call judge released Young from custody on his own recognizance. Young has a court date in the future, BPD Chief Hector Carillo told the Beat, to answer charges of battery; resisting, evading, or obstructing; and battery upon a peace officer.