Altercation during county meeting was a matter of time

Rosa Ramirez, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 17, 2007 at midnight

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A difference of opinion over whether it was 11:25 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. allegedly led to an altercation between an Alamosa County commissioner and a resident who called him a liar at a county meeting.

Alamosa County Sheriff Dave Stong said local resident Leon Moyer and Commissioner Darius Allen "got into a verbal disagreement, which allegedly escalated to a physical altercation."

The men apparently disagreed about the starting time of the public-comment period at a meeting Wednesday. The public is allowed to comment beginning at 11:25 a.m. Allen called a recess, returned at 11:30 a.m. and announced that "we are now starting to have public comment at 11:25 a.m.," Moyer said.

"That got me a little upset because they could have had public comment (time) a little earlier," Moyer said.

"So, the first comment I made was that Darius Allan was not telling the time correctly. It is 11:30 a.m. and we are starting this late, which I don't appreciate. And he said, 'No. It is 11:25 a.m.'

"And I said, 'Darius Allen, you are a liar.' "

Moyer said Allen "got up from the chair and he came almost running" toward Moyer, who was sitting 30 to 50 feet away.

Moyer said Allen hit him in the head and "the next thing I knew, I was on the floor."

He said he didn't know if Allen pushed him off the chair or he fell.

"And then he kicked me on the right side. That's what really hurts me physically," Moyer said.

A woman who answered the phone in the Alamosa County commissioners' office told the Rocky Mountain News that Allen said his attorney advised him not to comment on the incident.

Stong said Moyer has tense relationships with commissioners and other city officials.

"Mr. Moyer attends all the meetings, and he's not shy about voicing his opinion, which led to some verbal disagreements in the past . . . with everyone," Stong said.

Stong said dispatch received a 911 call from Allen about 11:31 a.m. for an officer to "remove Mr. Moyer from the meeting."

When Stong arrived, the alleged altercation had already occurred. He said Moyer didn't appear to have any injuries, declined medical treatment and left.

Moyer said he went to the San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center, had ultrasound and X-rays taken and was prescribed painkillers. He said he has multiple bruises on his side.

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