Teen baseball player who urinated in opponent's water jug has charges dropped
Share this @internewscast.com


RIO RANCHO, N.M. (KRQE) – Nearly three months after a 16-year-old Rio Rancho JV baseball player admitted to peeing in an opposing team’s water jug during a game, the Sandoval County District Attorney’s Office said it wasn’t a crime.

“In New Mexico, battery consists of the unlawful touching of another person in a rude and insolent manner. So in this case, we don’t have any touching of another person,” said Chief Deputy DA Jessica Martinez with the Sandoval County District Attorney’s Office.

Former prosecutor and current state Senator Moe Maestas disagrees. “If I spit in somebody’s hamburger and they take a bite, that’s battery,” said Maestas.

Email says some students drank from contaminated water jug

According to an email sent out to parents at the time of the incident, some students drank from that contaminated jug. Due to that, the teen was facing 15 battery charges, according to Rio Rancho police, one for each person who drank the water, but those charges have all gone away.

“New Mexico doesn’t have a statute that makes it criminal for someone to mess with someone else’s food and or pee in a water bottle,” said Martinez. “While the act is gross and not right. It’s not morally right, it’s not a crime in New Mexico.”

The DA’s office said their hands are tied unless the legislature makes that act criminal, but Maestas says that’s just not true. “The statute is written very, very broadly to encompass any unlawful touching, obviously throwing a rock or spitting on somebody,” said Maestas.

He also says we’ve seen that law work. “A person was convicted of throwing urine on a jail guard from a cup, spitting in a hamburger, there’s no question the courts would uphold the charge, and then it would be up to the jury to find the person guilty, but there’s no question. The current statute fits for what happened out in Rio Rancho,” said Maestas.

‘Up to the state to move forward’ in case: Senator

Maestas hopes this doesn’t end here. “It’s up to the state to move forward, but I think it’s a political statement more than a legal statement. Any lawyer worth their salt knows the battery statute would capture this scenario,” said Maestas.

The incident ended Rio Rancho’s JV season for the rest of the school year. KRQE News 13 reached out to the school district to see if the teen involved faced any disciplinary action. They said they do not comment on disciplinary matters.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

40 Truck Drivers in the US Have Commercial Licenses Revoked Over English Language Deficiency

SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Forty Mexican truckers have lost privileges to…

Man Detained After Making Threats Toward Texas Governor and Judge, Say Police

AUSTIN (KXAN) A 31-year-old was arrested Sunday after the Criminal Investigation Division…

Bush, Obama, and Bono Say Goodbye to USAID, Calling It a ‘Huge Error’

Former Presidents Obama and George W. Bush, along with U2’s Bono, are…

State Officials Announce Typical Eagle Nesting Season in Coastal Georgia with Almost 200 Eaglets Taking Flight

SAVANNAH, Ga. () — Coastal Georgia saw a 73% eagle nest success…

Washington County, TN School Board Restores Employee Raises in Budget Session

JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Washington County, Tennessee Board of Education (BOE)…

Trump Launches $249 ‘Trump Fragrances’ Collection

President Donald Trump began hawking a new business venture on Monday: Official…

Storm Team 3: Monitoring Increased Storm Activity and Possible Tropical Development

Tuesday afternoon in the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry saw relatively mild weather.…

Trump Urges DOGE to Consider Musk’s Companies Closely

(The Hill) — President Donald Trump suggested the Department of Government Efficiency…

“Holiday Weekend Safety: Event Highlights Drowning Prevention Measures”

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — The St. Petersburg Fire Department collaborated with…

Bryan Kohberger’s ex-professor questions whether his serial killer courses influenced him

() A renowned forensic psychologist who taught Bryan Kohberger about serial killers…

Florida GOP Launches ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Merchandise Before Trump’s Visit

(The Hill) — Ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit, the Florida Republican…

Judge to Decide on Kohberger’s Plea Deal as Victim’s Family Expresses Outrage

() Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho…