Shots fired at Athens home after street fight

Published 6:42 pm Monday, September 17, 2007

Athens police arrested a 23-year-old Athens man Sunday for shooting into an occupied dwelling during an incident that sent two other men to the hospital.

Capt. Marty Bruce said Manuel Wallace, of 1100 N. Houston St., was arrested and charged with shooting into an occupied dwelling. He said Wallace is accused of shooting into a house at 413 Rogers Street.

“The incident occurred at 1 a.m. No one was hit by the two shots fired into the house,” Bruce said. “According to witnesses, all Hispanic males, they were watching television when they heard a vehicle stop in front of the residence. They heard two shots.”

Bruce said Cristo Ortiz, 19, of 413 Rogers Street, told detectives that someone came into the house with a gun and he cut his finger on a knife during an altercation. Ortiz was treated at Athens-Limestone Hospital for the cut on his finger and released. Another victim, Jose Hernandez, 24, of 413 Rogers Street, was also treated at the hospital for a cut on the head, Bruce said.

“Hernandez was too intoxicated to tell investigators what happened,” Bruce said. “It appears there was an altercation in the street also because there were several broken beer bottles in the street and two vehicles had damage to the windshields.”

The investigation was continuing Monday, police said.