PORT ISABEL — Six people have been charged in connection with an election night altercation in Port Isabel that involved a municipal candidate.
Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio said during a news conference Wednesday that the Port Isabel Police Department asked his office to take over the investigation May 7.
Lucio said he doesn’t know what trigged the fight but said emotions can run high during elections.
“Sometimes people get carried away, and for whatever reason they get upset at each other,” he said.
Port Isabel police responded to a reported fight in progress after polls closed at 7 p.m. May 5 in the 200 block of Manautou Street, Lucio said. The location is near City Hall.
Lucio said four people were arrested in the assault of 64-year-old Jose Enrique Ochoa, who is disabled. Rogerio Torres Salinas, 57; Roger Salinas, 29; Robert Salinas, 35; and Guadalupe Zurita, 35, were arrested on suspicion of injury to a disabled person, and each was given a $3,000 bond. The charge is a third-degree felony.
Roger Salinas also was charged with third-degree felony assault and given an additional $3,000 bond. He was a candidate in the Port Isabel City Commission race for Precinct 1 and earned about 34 percent of the vote, according to returns. He lost to incumbent Martin Cantu Jr.
Two off-duty law enforcement officers who tried to break up the fight and a bystander also were injured, Lucio said.
Viola Cisneros Salinas, 55, was arrested on suspicion of assault on a public servant involving Port Isabel Police Chief Robert Lopez and another assault. Her bonds were set at $15,000 and $5,000 respectively.
Elizabeth Martinez Salinas, 54, was arrested on suspicion of assault on a public servant involving Port Isabel ISD officer Hector Martinez, 49, and assault involving bystander, Lucio said. Her bonds also were set at $15,000 and $5,000 respectively.
Lopez said his department turned the investigation into the May 5 fight over to the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office for transparency and to ensure no one felt the department was taking sides because of his involvement. He said the night of the fight, people “flooded the police department and streets upset.”
