Man pleads guilty to rioting charge

Published 10:04 am Tuesday, February 9, 2016

An Austin 19-year-old accused of beating several high school-aged teenagers in a fight Sept. 15 changed his plea to guilty for one charge of gross misdemeanor third-degree rioting with a dangerous weapon Monday as part of a plea agreement.

Ramiro Alejandro Pena allegedly beat several high school-aged teens, and one teen was stabbed in the buttocks while other people were hit with bats.

Ramiro Pena

Ramiro Pena

According to the court complaint, officers were called to the 1000 block of First Avenue Northwest shortly before 8 p.m. Sept. 15 after a witness reported a large group of males fighting.

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Police spoke with several people involved in the brawl who said Pena and two other men, one adult and another a juvenile, confronted one of the victims earlier that day and drove up to his home in Pena’s 2005 Kia.

Pena and the other adult allegedly carried a baseball bat and a pipe to confront the victims. One victim was stabbed and another person was hit with a baseball bat.

The fight had initially started between two people but grew to include about five people.

The victim who was stabbed used the knife to slash one of Pena’s tires, and another victim smashed a window on Pena’s car using a baseball bat, according to the report.

Police inspected Pena’s car and found a new tire, along with a missing window. Officers also noticed what appeared to be blood on the console.

Pena is scheduled to be sentenced May 5.