5 arrested in Alpine stabbing

Five local men, three of them recently charged with aggravated assault elsewhere, were arrested in connection with a stabbing outside an Alpine bar Saturday night.

At 12:50 a.m. on Aug. 17, an anonymous caller alerted the police to a fight in progress outside the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7207 located at 607 E. Ave. F in Alpine.

Sgt. Ray Rodriguez and Officer Leo Navarette of the Alpine Police Department found that the fight at the front of the bar had dissipated and that Antonio Covarubias was stabbed one time in the torso during the fight.

Covarubias was taken by ambulance to Big Bend Regional Medical Center for emergency care. A spokeswoman for BBRMC declined to comment on his condition.

The Brewster County Sherrif’s Department and the Sul Ross Police Department assisted in controlling the crowd and participants.

Witnesses were questioned and five Alpine men were arrested: Rene Vega, 24; Justin Villanueva, 20; Hector De La O, 18; Sergio Lara, 19; and Willy Lara III, 18.

“Witnesses are still being interviewed ,” Alpine Police Department Chief Russell Scown said Tuesday.

“It’s too early to speculate on a motive in the stabbing.”

On May 8, a Sul Ross student and his two friends were beaten with a blue metal baseball bat at their home.

Sergio Lara, Rene Vega and Willy Lara III, three of the men arrested in Saturday’s stabbing, were arrested and jailed at that time on charges of aggravated robbery and engaging in organized criminal activity.

They were released on bond.

On July 9, District Attorney Frank Brown said that the accused would probably be indicted at the next convention of the grand jury. The grand jury has convened since that time but there is no record of their indictment.

Brown could not be reached for comment on the involvement of the three men in Saturday’s stabbing.

The men charged in the stabbing are being held at the Brewster County Jail.

Repeat after me: Rain is good, rain is good

Rains continued to fall consistently after July 30’s record rainfall. Fog and mist, a rarity in arid West Texas, dominate the landscape.

AHS, Sul Ross ex is named high school principal

Alpine ISD trustees chose Virginia Cobos Caballero as the next Alpine High School principal during their regular meeting Wednesday night.

Jean Anne Fort is second Alpine teacher in two years to top region

This could become a nice habit: Another one of our teachers has been named Elementary Teacher of the Year for the Region 18 Education Service Center.

5 arrested in Alpine stabbing

Five local men, three of them recently charged with aggravated assault elsewhere, were arrested in connection with a stabbing outside an Alpine bar Saturday night.

Council tends to its chores

The Alpine City Council tackled a plateload of municipal necessities Tuesday night — paving, sidewalks, natural gas, taxes, the police station and graffiti — in addition to airing and hearing complaints about appointees shirking duties and property seizures.