Staff Report
NewsWest 9
ODESSA – One man is in hot water after he assaulted a police officer on Saturday morning.
Odessa Police tell NewsWest 9, officers observed a male subject with an unsteady balance walking towards the exit doors at Graham Central Station.
When officers made contact with the man, officers told him to call a cab or contact someone to come and get him as he had slurred speech, blood shot eyes and a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath.
The man, later identified as 21-year-old Giovani Lara, told officers that he was going to drive his vehicle to another bar and officers told him again to call for a cab or ride.
That's when Lara became irate with officers and began throwing his belongings out of his pockets and onto the ground.
Officers then placed Lara in custody for public intoxication and was taken to the Ector county Law Enforcement Center.
While they were at the jail, officers removed the handcuffs from Lara and attempted to place him into a chair and that's when Lara shoved an officer into a cell door.
According to the report, Lara then threatened the officer by stating, "you're lucky that I do not have my S&W 40" and told the officer that he would be sorry, referring to shooting him.
Lara also told the officer, "I could just head butt you and knock you out."
The officer did sustain a neck injury as a result of being pushed into the cell door.
