Gangs linked to fairgrounds fight; man hit by car leaves hospital

The Arbuckle man reportedly run down and struck by a vehicle earlier this month in the Colusa County Fairgrounds parking lot was discharged from a Roseville hospital Sunday, authorities said Monday.

Felix Silva, 19, was on life support at Sutter Memorial Hospital for nearly a week following the Nov. 7 incident.

Silva was reportedly run down by Gayro Velazquez of Williams, the California Highway Patrol said.

Velazquez, 21, surrendered to police the following day and was formally charged Nov. 10 with two felony counts each of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, one felony count of street terrorism, as well as enhancements for causing great bodily injury and violent felony street terrorism, according to court records.

A verbal argument turned violent at a wedding reception Nov. 7 and police were called to a reported fight involving up to 20 people, the CHP said.

David Bates, chief deputy district attorney, said investigators now believe Velazquez is a member of the Sureno criminal street gang and the reported victims, Silva and Jesus Chavez, 31, of Colusa, are members of the rival Nortenos.

Velazquez had reportedly been punched by Silva and Chavez while he was sitting in his car. When uniformed security officers appeared at the scene, Silva and Chavez fled on foot, the CHP reported.

Witnesses told police that Velazquez “accelerated his vehicle,” narrowly missing Chavez, but striking Silva, the CHP report states.

Velazquez appeared in court Thursday, but did not enter a plea and said he planned to seek a private attorney, prosecutors said.

He is set to appear Tuesday in Colusa County Superior Court and is expected to enter a plea at that time. He remains in custody in Colusa County Jail in lieu of $275,000 bail, a jail spokeswoman confirmed.