Argument goes public, suspect in Tumwater goes to jail

A closed taco truck became the centerpiece of an argument in which a man allegedly punched in his girlfriend in the face and cut her with a sharp butter knife last Saturday.

Delfino Medina, 34, and his girlfriend, Rita, 39, had been day drinking throughout May 15 when they decided to walk to a nearby taco truck. After getting there and discovering that it was closed, they began to argue, with Rita demanding that Medina drive to downtown Olympia. Medina refused, leading to a verbal argument outside of their Tumwater apartment complex.

Tumwater Police were dispatched at approximately 7 p.m. after a reporting party heard “smashing and beating sounds” and a male screaming “I’m going to F you up” and a “woman screaming a dog barking.”

Officers arrived, hearing a physical altercation inside the apartment. As they arrived at the stairs to the apartment, a “disheveled” Rita came out and spoke to them.

Inside the apartment, officers spoke primarily in Spanish to Medina. In the report, Tumwater Police noticed bloodstains on the floor, hallway and walls leading to the bathroom. Medina was actively bleeding from a cut on top of his head, his left eyelid was scratched, his upper lip swollen, the right side of his neck was scratched and his right middle finger was bleeding.

Medina stated to police that he had injured himself and did not want Rita to be arrested, nor did he personally want to go to jail.

The police report noted that Medina’s behaviors were erratic. Medina continued to cry and state that he was not a victim.

Rita told police that Medina had punched her in the face and had pinned her down on the bed. Medina had a butter knife and cut Rita’s wrist as she fought him off, according to Tumwater Police.

Medina was booked into Nisqually Jail on suspicion of simple assault.