El Paso man arrested after department store melee over TVs

EL PASO, Tex. -- A 23-year-old El Paso man is free on bond after he was arrested during a melee at a department store over television sets.

The incident happened about 6 p.m. Thursday when the crew at a Wal-Mart store in northeastern El Paso displayed 50-inch television sets for $150.

A police statement said a crowd converged to grab for the sets when an off-duty police officer working security saw an elderly woman disappear beneath a pile of customers as she held a set. Garcia grabbed for the set, apparently stepping on her. Police said when the officer tried to pull Garcia off, Garcia hit the officer several times and choked him until another off-duty officer intervened.

Garcia was charged with assaulting a public servant. Court records listed no attorney for him.