Police horse punched as county fair descends into mass brawl
‘Maximus is recovering by running around his pasture and eating alfalfa,’ says US sheriff’s office
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A police patrol horse was punched in the hindquarters after a massive fight broke out in the queue for beer at a county fair in rural California.
Five men were arrested and four police officers wounded in the melee at the conclusion of the Stanislaus County Fair around 10pm on Sunday night, a police statement said.
The violence began after a beer booth closed early – angering a group of 15 men wearing “gang attire” who had already bought drinks tickets.
When deputies from Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department asked the men to leave, one punched a deputy and kicked off a wider brawl, the Los Angeles Times reported.
One of the men got knocked over by a police horse named Maximus in the ensuing ruckus, spilling his beer. The man got back on his feet and thumped the animal in its “rear end”.
“This subject got back up and was upset his beer had spilled. He proceeded to punch Maximus, the horse, in the rear end. He was subsequently arrested,” a statement from the force said.
Deputy Dalton Gonzalez received treatment for a dislocated shoulder, while the other officers suffered only minor injuries.
Police said the patrol horse was fine and would make a “full recovery” after the punch. “Maximus is recovering today by running around his pasture and eating alfalfa,” said the police department. Maximus is still committed to serving justice and will not be dissuaded in his efforts.”
The incident came only days after police arrested a man at the same county fair for trying to use counterfeit bills.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments