Cop's Report: Bar Patrons Groped Me, Blew Kisses

Police report details raid of Rainbow Lounge, including allegations of sexual advances

By SCOTT GORDON

Updated 11:17 PM CST, Thu, Jul 16, 2009

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Greg Janda

Patrons in a Fort Worth gay bar groped officers, blew kisses at them and tried to push one officer's gun during a controversial raid last month, according to a police report released Wednesday.

The detailed police report, which was written by an officer involved in the raid, was released under the Texas Open Records Act after requests from several news organizations, including NBCDFW.com.

Click here to read the complete police report.

"I felt my gun being pushed on, and turned around to see a male behind me," wrote the officer, identified as K. Gober. "I spun around and grabbed (the suspect's) right hand, moving it away from my gun, and I saw (the suspect) leaning his hips forward and making physical contact with my right leg, as if he were having sex with me from behind."

The suspect, Jose Maczas, was among six patrons arrested on suspicion of public intoxication.

The raid has drawn national attention and is the subject of separate investigations by Fort Worth police and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

The chief of the TABC apologized for the raid and said the incident was unjustified, the Dallas Voice reported on its Web site Thursday.

Many patrons say police used excessive force and dispute the police version of what happened.

In his report, Gober wrote that another man who was arrested "kissed two of his fingers and then blew a kiss at (an) officer." He also said other patrons yelled obscenities at officers and displayed "their middle finger in protest."

The document also includes the most detailed account yet of how officers said patron Chad Gibson received a severe head injury. He was hospitalized for a week.

The report said Gibson had "alcohol poisoning" from drinking too much and fell, hitting his head on the concrete.

"Gibson was instructed by TABC agents to sit down," the report said. "Gibson refused to sit down, but then leaned forward to vomit, and fell to the ground with his hands still back behind his back in the flex handcuffs."

Gibson was transported to the hospital by ambulance. He has admitted to being drunk that night but has denied groping an officer.

The report also said Gibson resisted arrest and assaulted a TABC agent.

"Gibson had reached toward (the agent's) groin area and tapped (his) testicles with his hand," the report stated.

Of the only woman arrested in the raid, Gober wrote: "On the way to jail, (she) continually hiccupped (sic) and burped and became very verbally abusive."