'Bad call' leads to bloody brawl at soccer match in Mankato; 2 charged

A brawl erupted among adults at a pickup adult soccer match in Mankato after a disputed call on the field ignited "rough play" between the rival teams, authorities said.

Two spectators were charged with felonies, a 58-year-old woman accused of beating another person Sunday afternoon with a rod, and a man who broke someone's nose with a punch, police said.

Those two people, San Juana Garcia, of Montgomery, Minn., and Alexis Flores, 20, of Sleepy Eye, Minn., were each charged Tuesday with felony assault in Blue Earth County District Court.

"A bad call led to some rough play on the field, which then ultimately led to the physical disturbance involving players and fans," Police Cmdr. Matt DuRose said Wednesday.

"There are a number of people, in addition to Garcia and Flores, that we are requesting charges against for their involvement in the incident," DuRose added.

The mayhem unfolded on one of the many soccer fields at the Land of Memories Park, and it occurred within view of youth soccer teams at the complex, the commander said.

According to the criminal complaints against the two, a witness told police that an angered Garcia went to a vehicle and retrieved a rod that she used to "start hitting people." Garcia was "the person who started the whole brawl," the complaint continued.

One of Garcia's targets showed police the marks on her back from Garcia hitting her with the rod three times, read the complaint.

A man with a "severely swollen left eye" told police that Flores punched him. The victim went to the ground, and others started kicking him. The victim left the park with a broken nose.

The brother of the man being kicked said he tried to intervene but came under attack, leaving him with a broken nose and bloodied clothing.

Garcia and Flores were jailed and later released on their own recognizance. Telephone messages were left with their attorneys Tuesday afternoon seeking response to the allegations.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482