A 59-year-old Farmington man was arrested Sunday on suspicion of disorderly conduct after getting into a confrontation with two women who were participating in a transgender rights march in downtown Durango.
Durango Police Department Cmdr. Ray Shupe said about 40 to 50 people participated in the march Sunday on Main Avenue when the incident occurred.
According to investigators, the Farmington man, identified as Wesley Devilbiss, was eating at the outdoor patio section at Tequila’s Mexican Restaurant in the 900 block of Main Avenue when he began confronting people in the march.
Farmington man suspected of disorderly conduct at transgender rights march in Durango
Shupe said Devilbiss shouted, “This is America” and told people in the group to “go home.”
A female in the group started singing, and “that infuriated him,” Shupe said. Devilbiss came around the outside patio area, got in her face and ripped a mask off the woman’s face, police said.
Another woman tried to break up the fight and Devilbiss allegedly threw her to the ground. Calls reporting the incident started to come into Durango police around 6:30 p.m., Shupe said.
Initially, officers were just going to write Devilbiss a ticket.
“But he continued to be belligerent and we took him into custody,” Shupe said. “He was intoxicated and didn’t want to mellow out.”
Devilbiss was being held on suspicion of disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. He was taken to the La Plata County Jail on a $499 bond.
Shupe said Devilbiss was not arrested on an assault charge because there were no reported injuries to anyone involved.
“Disorderly conduct is still unwanted touching or grabbing,” he said. “He definitely was confrontational with them, and it spiraled into disorderly conduct.”
Shupe said Devilbiss was not charged with any hate or bias-related crimes.
“No one on scene said he spouted any kind of slurs that would indicate bias,” Shupe said. “I think it was more he was irritated because his dinner was interrupted.”
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