No link yet, but my girl heard from a friend at the Chronicle. Resisting arrest is the main charge. Happened in Galveston at the San Luis Resort. Ha.
There was a good chance that Brandon was not in the Astros plans for next year anyways... this may be a good thing.
wow, today is a really weird day. first my friends and I couldnt find a spot to tailgate at the stadium. second, on our way home, his BBQ pit flies out of his truck(which was pretty funy btw) then Texans lose in a shocker.
gives us the character excuse to appease anyone who wanted to keep him for..hometown reasons i guess?
Link: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6041637.html Backe among 8 held after scuffle with police at isle hotel By ANITA HASSAN Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle Oct. 6, 2008, 1:20AM GALVESTON -- Houston Astros pitcher Brandon Backe was among 10 people arrested early Sunday morning during a riot at the San Luis Resort, police said. FEMA coordinator Jaime Forero was also placed in custody during the incident, which occurred just after midnight at the hotel's bar. Backe and several others went to the bar after attending a wedding at the nearby convention center. The trouble started when a Galveston police officer approached 19-year-old Daniel Cole O'Balle about entering the pool bar area with an open container of alcohol. O'Balle took a ``fighting stance'' toward the officer, the report stated. The officer attempted to arrest O'Balle, who then struck him in the upper chest with his fist and then hit another officer in the face. While police attempted to handcuff O'Balle, others at the bar were also refusing commands from officers, escalating into a scene that police described as a riot, according to the report. During the brawl, Backe was told by police to back away. He refused, and police attempted to handcuff him, the report said. Backe struggled with officers. One officer stated in the report that he hit Backe twice in the face before handcuffing him. The officer also reported that Backe smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes. Both the officer and Backe sustained minor injuries during the fight, according to the police report. Backe, a 30-year-old Galveston native, was charged with resisting arrest, search and transportation by using force against an officer. He was released on $1,500 bond and wasn't immediately available for comment. Forero, the FEMA coordinator, who was in front of the hotel, was taken into custody after he repeatedly refused orders from police to go back inside, the report stated. It didn't state whether Forero was charged. Police used a Taser on O'Balle and his 46-year-old father Gilbert O'Balle. They also shot pepper spray at the pair and the surrounding crowd, documents stated. Daniel Cole O'Balle was taken by helicopter to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he is listed in fair condition. He was charged with three counts of assault on a public servant and two counts of retaliation. His bond totals $115,000. \Nine others were also arrested on charges ranging from public intoxication to resisting arrest.
KHOU Link Houston Astros pitcher arrested in brawl 06:23 PM CDT on Sunday, October 5, 2008 by TJ Aulds and Michelle Ponto / 11 News GALVESTON -- Houston Astros pitcher Brandon Backe was among nine people arrested early Sunday morning after a brawl with Galveston Police officers. According to reports, Backe was attending a wedding at the Island Convention Center. After the reception, he and a group of people from the wedding party went to the H20 bar in the San Luis Resort to continue the celebration. The brawl started before the group entered the bar. Galveston’s City Manager Steve LeBlanc said one of the men had an open container of liquor. When told by an on-duty officer outside of H20 that he could not enter the bar with the alcohol, the wedding guest allegedly shoved the officer. LeBlanc said the officer called for back up, and when the group resisted arrest, a brawl broke out. Two people were tasered during the altercation and pepper spray was also used. One of the tasered men was also injured during the fight, and taken by life-flight to a Houston hospital as there are no hospitals in Galveston due to hurricane damage. LeBlanc said the officers used what force was necessary to get control of the situation. Charges range from public intoxication, to assaulting an officer, to resisting arrest. LeBlanc did not say what Backe was charged with, but did say that only those individuals who were combative with the officers were arrested. Police will have an initial report on Monday. The wedding reception was first event at the Island Convention Center since Hurricane Ike struck on September 13. It was also the first night that the Galveston curfew was pushed back from 6 p.m. to midnight.
Kind of surprising. I've hung out with him and his friends in a group setting a couple of times and Brandon seemed pretty tame. He did drink a lot. He's from Galveston
A couple of "alleged" witnesses in the comment section of the KHOU article are claiming this was police brutality and that it happens often in the Galveston area. One person said Backe was protecting his friend who is currently fighting for his life after being beaten badly.
What surprises me is that there is a part of Galveston in good enough shape to host a party. Last I heard was that most of the city still doesn't have power or other utilities.
According to the Chron piece, Backe was apparently punched in the face twice by an officer and both of them had bloody faces. Am I evil for finding this comment below the article funny? "I don't understand the big deal??....Backe has been getting hit all year!!!"
VERY INTERESTING LINK, CHECK THIS OUT: http://forums.galveston.com/forums/t/1302.aspx Apparently, this was a lot worse than it sounds. Some people are saying a helpless pregnant women was pepper sprayed and thrown against a cop car. There are also some pictures of blood on the ground and on a wall after the riot.
I have mentioned my dislike for Backe many times, but all of it is because of his onfield shortcomings. I hope he comes out of this alright. I have heard stories about him on 1560 when they were in Vegas and how Backe gets after a few pops. I worked for a guy who went to school with him and he pretty much said the same things, when Brandon drinks, he gets a lil rowdy. that, and he's a man-w****, but can't blame him for that.
Most of the city has power... and the buildings right near seawall got the least flood damage. You don't hear much about it because the local news prefers to sensationalize the bad, and trivialize the progress.
