4 Officers injured in Riot in Yona

by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - A total of seven people were arrested in connection to an incident that occurred in Yona Saturday night.  According to acting Police Spokesperson Officer Paul Tapao officers from the Hagatna Precinct received a call from an individual reporting that he saw a drunk driver along Route 4 heading toward Yona. When police arrived to a home in Yona to conduct an investigation they spoke with Cyenllas Thornton who said he was the driver of the vehicle in question. Officers detected a strong odor of alcohol. When officers attempted to arrest him Thornton allegedly became combative. He is accused of grabbing the officer by the neck and choking him. The officer eventually landed on top of the car. When another officer at the scene tried to help him, other officers that were are the scene were being attacked by individuals who were inside the house. When a call for assistance was made, additional responding officers arrived and were also assaulted. When the police finally gained control of the situation the following individuals were arrested on the following charges:

(1)   Cyenllas Thortnon: assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, harassment.

(2)   Eric Gordon Bay/ 39-years-old: resisting arrest, obstruction of government operations, assault on a police officer, disorderly conduct

(3)    Jonathan Robert Brown/ 32-years-old: disorderly conduct, obstruction of government operations

(4)   Sandra Cepeda/ 32-years-old: Assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, obstruction of government operations

(5)   Ellainne Bay/ 33-years-old: Obstruction of government operations, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest

(6)   Monica Renee Thornton/ 35-years-old: Obstruction of government operations, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct

(7)   Warinitip Loto/ 25-years-old: Assault on a police officer, obstruction of government operations, and resisting arrest

All seven individuals were booked and confined. Officer Tapao adds that through the course of the investigation it was later determined that Cyenllas Thornton was not the driver of the vehicle but instead he was speaking for a female friend that was actually the driver. Four officers from the Hagatna Precinct were injured during the riot and were treated by medics from the Guam Fire Department.