Man arrested after choking man over pool chair altercation

RIO RANCHO — A man was arrested at the Rio Rancho Aquatic Center after an altercation last week.

Carlos Montoya, 43, of Rio Rancho, was arrested Jan. 30 for aggravated battery. According to a criminal complaint, a physical altercation between a man and Montoya led to the man allegedly being choked/strangled by Montoya.

The victim stated he was confronted by a man at the pool about a verbal argument between him and Montoya's wife about a pool chair. He told police that he was finishing up at the pool and noticed that the woman was moving her stuff onto his chair, which he confronted her about. He said that when she told him that he wasn't using it and ignored him, he moved her property. 

After this, he was confronted by Montoya, who he stated grabbed him by the throat and choked him. He told officers that he grabbed him with both hands and applied pressure to the point where it restricted his breath for approximately 15 seconds and even to the point where he believed he may have gone unconscious. 

Montoya told police that his wife told him the man had thrown her stuff off of a chair and used a derogatory term to describe his behavior. Montoya stated that he confronted the man and they proceeded to get into an argument where the man called his wife derogatory name, which prompted him to attack the man. 

Police note that Montoya admitted to grabbing the man by the throat but said he let him go because children were present. Montoya also stated that he would have "drowned him" if his kids weren't there.

A nearby life guard also confirmed the altercation.

Montoya could face up to nine years in prison if he is convicted.