Visalia officer and suspect injured in hotel lobby fight

A Visalia police officer and a man who attacked him in a hotel lobby were both taken to a hospital for injuries early Tuesday, police reported.

Omar Almaguer, 28, was booked on charges of assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest and other charges after the fight. The officer, who sustained an injury to his hand, was not identified.

Police say the incident began about 2 a.m. at the Best Western Hotel on Airport Drive, where a man was reported to be acting strangely. Officers were unable to locate the subject, but returned after an employee reported that the man was back. Officers were told that an employee was so upset by the man’s behavior that he locked the man in the lobby and fled. The officer made contact with the man, identified as Almaguer, and asked him to come outside. Police say that prompted Almaguer to attack the officer in a fight that lasted several minutes. Police say arriving officers were forced to use an unspecified “impact weapon” and a stun device to subdue Almaguer.

Almaguer was treated for unspecified injuries and booked in the Tulare County Jail.

This story was originally published January 2, 2018 at 9:51 AM with the headline "Visalia officer and suspect injured in hotel lobby fight."