Third Illinois resident arrested after large Iowa City nightclub brawl

Lang
11/22/21

A third Illinois resident has been arrested in connection with a large brawl at an Iowa City nightclub.

Iowa City Police were called to a brawl at La Rumba on Lower Muscatine Road just after 1:30am Sunday. Arriving officers say they observed 29-year-old Selvin Torres Valladares of Silvis fighting with several subjects. He allegedly refused officers’ commands to stop and pushed an officer who tried to remove him from the fracas. Torres Valladares allegedly had to be tasered, and continued to fight with police while being taken into custody. One officer suffered a knee injury when Torres Valladares allegedly kicked him as he was being loaded into the squad car. Another officer suffered  a lower back injury.

Torres Valladares is charged with two counts of Assault on Peace Officers Causing Injury, as well as one count each of Interference With Official Acts Causing Injury, Disorderly Conduct and Public Intoxication. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum of over five years in prison.

Two other Illinois residents were arrested as part of the La Rumba brawl. Investigators say 25-year-old Bessy Banegas of Silvis was in the parking lot when she swung an open palm at an officer three times, striking him once in the face and once in the shoulder. She was arrested and charged with Assault on Persons in Certain Occupations, Disorderly Conduct, and Interference With Official Acts Causing Bodily Injury. If convicted on all charges, she faces a maximum of 25 months in jail.

Police say once the original fight was dispersed, a second fight broke out just after 2am. One of the parties involved in that fight, 26-year-old Maynor Nunez Ramirez of East Moline, was removed from the altercation by an Iowa City Police officer. Nunez Ramirez then allegedly tried to flee and had to be taken to the ground. The officer sustained minor injuries to his knees, elbow and wrist.

Nunez Ramirez was arrested and charged with Interference With Official Acts Causing Bodily Injury and Disorderly Conduct. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 13 months in jail.