Lubbock Man Arrested After Family Brawl Turns Bloody

LUBBOCK, TX — A domestic disturbance at a Central Lubbock home ended in the arrest of a man covered in blood after a physical altercation with family members early Thursday morning.

According to court documents, Lubbock Police officers responded to a call at a home in the 400 block of Vanda Avenue on May 2. Dispatchers had reported a man in all black clothes causing problems outside the residence.

When officers arrived, they found several people in the front yard. A man matching the description, later identified as Alex Rodriguez, 35, was stumbling around with his face covered in blood and his left eye swollen shut. Nearby, officers saw another man, shirtless and also bloodied, walking away from the home. He was later identified as Rodriguez’s cousin.

Police requested backup and called EMS to treat the injured. The cousin told officers he had just arrived when Rodriguez accused him and others at the house of stealing from him. He said he tried to walk away, but Rodriguez started swinging at him, which led to a fistfight that spilled into the front yard and ended just before police got there. Officers confirmed that no weapons were involved.

A woman at the home, who is also related to Rodriguez, told police she was there before the fight started. She said Rodriguez had been acting paranoid, claiming the people living there were “hacking his phone and television.” She said he tried to barricade her in a room and threatened to “blacken both of her eyes.” She believed the threat was serious, especially in light of a recent domestic violence incident involving Rodriguez.

Both the cousin and the woman told officers they believed Rodriguez was intoxicated or under the influence of drugs based on how he was behaving.

Officers noted that Rodriguez was actively bleeding and that his eye appeared completely swollen shut. EMS provided medical care at the scene. The cousin declined treatment, stating that the blood on him belonged to Rodriguez. However, police noted he had a busted lip and said it happened when Rodriguez hit him during the brawl.

After speaking with witnesses and reviewing the evidence, police determined that Rodriguez was the aggressor and believed the violence could continue if he stayed at the home.

Officers arrested Rodriguez for Assault, Domestic Violence Assault, and Continuous Violence Against the Family — the last charge tied to an incident involving the same victims a couple of days prior, on April 29.

Rodriguez was taken to UMC for medical clearance before being transported to the Lubbock County Detention Center. While being transported to UMC, Rodriguez told EMTs he had recently consumed alcohol and used cocaine.

He remains in custody with a total bond set at $5,000.