Man accused of pistol whipping co-worker

A Santa Fe man was arrested by city police Sunday after being accused of pistol-whipping a co-worker during a fight and firing the gun into the air.

A criminal complaint filed Monday in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court says Edgar Lopez, 40, faces counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, negligent use of a firearm and tampering with evidence.

Santa Fe police arrived at a residence on Alarid Street close to midnight Sunday after receiving reports of multiple gunshots and a possible fight, the complaint says.

Officers found a man with a bleeding head wound sitting in the driver’s seat of a Volkswagen parked in front of the home. The man said he had been beaten with a pistol during a fight.

Officers ordered anyone in the home to come outside, and a man later identified as Lopez came out with a woman, the complaint says.

Lopez told police he and the injured man were co-workers at a construction company and began arguing about work while drinking beer together.

Lopez told police he defended himself when the other man rushed him.

An officer noted shell casings were found in front of the home. Lopez initially said he knew nothing about them, according to the complaint, but later said he had fired a 9mm pistol into the air to scare away the co-worker. Police recovered the gun. Lopez, who was booked in the Santa Fe County jail, will have his first appearance in court at 1 p.m. Tuesday.