AUSTIN TN April 27 2020 A man was arrested Thursday after he allegedly attacked a security guard at a business in downtown Austin, according to an arrest affidavit.

Police were sent to help Austin Travis-County EMS at 56 East Avenue at 4:05 a.m. According to a call, a security guard pepper sprayed a suspect in front of Zengitics Inc.

The call also said the security guard was punched in the chest and was having trouble breathing. The suspect was also said to have trouble breathing due to the pepper spray.

At the scene police made contact with the security guard and the suspect who was laying on the ground with his hands handcuffed behind his back. The suspect identified himself as Joel Vargas, 37.

The security guard said Vargas walked up to and started banging on the front door of Zengitics around 4 a.m. The guard told police he opened the door and told Vargas he was security. Vargas said he was looking for mental health services which he said used to be located in the same building.

The guard said he told Vargas to leave but he would not. He said he tried to guide Vargas away from the door without touching him, at which point Vargas allegedly raised his fists to hit the guard. The guard told officers he pushed Vargas up against a wall to avoid being punched at which point they both fell to the ground.

According to the guard, Vargas was physically fighting and wrestling with him. The guard said he was eventually able to pepper spray Vargas and handcuff him.

The guard said he was feeling pain in his chest but was uncertain if he was punched or if it was from the fall. According to the affidavit an examination later revealed a two-inch abrasion on the guard’s chest which he said he got during the fight.

Vargas was arrested and charged with assault on a security guard.

KXAN

Share this post: on Twitter on Facebook