Official in Mayor Villaraigosa's gang-reduction office arrested after fight at downtown nightclub [updated]
A staffer with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's gang-reduction office was arrested early Sunday after authorities said she assaulted a police officer who had responded to a report of a fight at a downtown club.
Blanca Martinez-Navarro, the Rampart program manager for the mayor's gang reduction and youth development office, was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor battery around 1:40 a.m. after police were called to the Conga Room at 800 West Olympic Boulevard within the downtown L.A. Live Complex, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the case.
Martinez-Navarro is being held at the Central Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. [Update, 11 a.m.: Martinez-Navarro's husband, Oscar Navarro, was also booked on the same misdemeanor battery charge.]
The couple were attending a large party at the Conga Room when they allegedly became embroiled in some kind of domestic dispute. When a security guard responded to the club, Martinez-Navarro's husband allegedly began fighting with him, according to law enforcement sources who asked not to be identified because of the ongoing criminal investigation.
LAPD officers were then called to the scene. [Updated, 11 a.m.: When officers confronted Navarro, he struggled with police, and his wife allegedly jumped onto one officer's back, the sources said. ]
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Villaraigosa anti-gang official on leave after dance-club fight
-- Andrew Blankstein
EDITOR'S PICKS:
Nice.
Posted by: sinclair323 | January 23, 2011 at 09:15 AM
Good job Mayor Villaretardo. Buen trabajo!
Posted by: Lexicon Artist | January 23, 2011 at 09:19 AM
All of the Mayors programs are scams and should be scrapped. He's wasting millions of dollars on worthless ideas and giving crooks and thugs money!!!
Posted by: j | January 23, 2011 at 09:21 AM
La vida loca
Posted by: DavidPeoria | January 23, 2011 at 09:22 AM
This is so laughable. What else would we expect from Villaraigosa's office? Fits the bill perfectly. He must be proud!
Posted by: Laguna Lucy | January 23, 2011 at 09:23 AM
Fired
Posted by: Jstomp | January 23, 2011 at 09:27 AM
This is just the latest of humiliations for the Mayor and this program.
Posted by: Louweegie272 | January 23, 2011 at 09:30 AM
How ironic that the official couldn't prevent her own "ganging up" with someone at a place like this!
Posted by: palmstring | January 23, 2011 at 09:31 AM
Yeah that's exactly who you want leading the gang-reduction office...someone w/ no respect for cops!
Posted by: SC | January 23, 2011 at 09:33 AM
Alcohol and marital problems do not mix. If you have marital problems do not go out drinking together! What an embarrassment to the couple and their families. No class at all.
Posted by: Moe | January 23, 2011 at 09:33 AM
Stupid is as Stupid does...
Posted by: LMH | January 23, 2011 at 09:35 AM
Hot heads for gang control... Guess it makes sense in someone's world.
Posted by: affableman | January 23, 2011 at 09:38 AM
Classy!!!
Posted by: Tom M. | January 23, 2011 at 09:43 AM
The police shouldn't have to deal with people fighting in public. Just let them go to it until they're tired out. Often a call to the police on a minor issue leads to police homicide. Both of these people should consider themselves lucky not to have been shot to death by the P&S gang.
Posted by: meggafish | January 23, 2011 at 09:43 AM
Classic. How many more bozos like this does Tony Villar have?
She was probably throwing gang signs before she attacked the cops. They should check her boyfriend as well. Probably a known gang member.
L.A. Times should list her salary.
Posted by: Steven | January 23, 2011 at 09:51 AM
They deserve due process, but if they are indeed guilty of fighting, I hope they are fired immediately! The last thing we need are gang reduction officials who have no self control.
Posted by: Carol | January 23, 2011 at 09:53 AM
They deserve due process, but if they are indeed guilty of fighting, I hope they are fired immediately! The last thing we need are gang reduction officials who have no self control.
Posted by: Carol | January 23, 2011 at 09:53 AM
always assume police lie. dont beleive everything they say
Posted by: john robinson | January 23, 2011 at 09:57 AM
She seems well-suited for her position.
Posted by: Mike G. | January 23, 2011 at 09:58 AM
I hope she gets fired. It's the only correct action for something like this.
Posted by: Jeffsd | January 23, 2011 at 10:04 AM
Typical behavior for the Tony Villar crowd.....
Posted by: Philup McCrevise | January 23, 2011 at 10:08 AM
Isn't having the mayor in charge of gang reduction a conflict of interest?
Posted by: jagexxx | January 23, 2011 at 10:12 AM
I hope they fire this broad!
Posted by: CarlinwasRight | January 23, 2011 at 10:16 AM
Nice to see the mayor has appointed responsible administrators to reduce the gang problem in LA. No wonder the gangs kills so many innocent people; the local government looks the other way!!
Posted by: Paul Tarullo | January 23, 2011 at 10:17 AM
Another chapter in gracious living by the Mayor's staff!
Posted by: Marco | January 23, 2011 at 10:19 AM