2 charged with aggravated assault following beer bottle stabbing, attack

(file photo by Ryan Lewallen/County 17)

GILLETTE, Wyo. — Two men have been charged with felonies for reportedly injuring each other Sunday night during a fight on Harry Street during which one of them was slashed with a broken beer bottle, authorities said Wednesday.

Lewis Paez-Flores, 37, and Wilquerman Monsalpe, 30, were both arrested on Aug. 27 and charged with felony aggravated assault for arming themselves with beer bottles and attacking each other on Harry Street, according to the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office.

The fight was discovered by a deputy who was clearing from a call in the area around 9:56 a.m. and observed what appeared to be two men engaged in a physical altercation. The deputy pulled in to investigate the matter and found Monsalpe bleeding profusely from what appeared to be multiple stab wounds on his torso, Undersheriff Quentin Reynolds said.

According to Sheriff’s Office Investigator Josh Knittel, who investigated the incident, Monsalpe had been stabbed and cut on the shoulder with a large, deep cut extending to his abdomen.

Paez-Flores was located walking northbound on Mecent Avenue by another deputy who observed he had lacerations on his head and face, Reynolds said, adding that both men were taken to Campbell County Health by ambulance.

During the investigation, it was learned that Paez-Flores got into an argument with his wife that Monsalpe did not approve of. The two men agreed to go outside to “talk” and began fighting once they were outside the house, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in the case.

Paez-Flores at one point broke a beer bottle and armed himself with it. He pushed Monsalpe, who responded by hitting the older man in the head with another bottle, at which point Paez-Flores cut and stabbed him with the broken beer bottle, the affidavit states.

When deputies arrived on the scene, Monsalpe was being transported in a personal vehicle to the hospital to receive medical treatment. The driver, a 23-year-old man, claimed he didn’t see law enforcement and crashed into a deputy’s patrol car with his 2011 Chevrolet Traverse, and was ultimately arrested for driving while impaired, according to Reynolds and the affidavit.

Another man, a 63-year-old resident, was taken into custody for driving without a license after he left the scene with several other individuals because they were concerned about speaking with law enforcement, Reynolds said.

Preliminary hearings for Paez-Florez and Monsalpe are set for Sept. 5 to see if sufficient probable cause exists to send the cases on to District Court for further proceedings, according to Campbell County court records.