Police arrest 4 following large fight at Occupy Salt Lake camp

SALT LAKE CITY — At least four people were arrested Thursday following a fight that reportedly involved an estimated 30 people in Pioneer Park near the Occupy Salt Lake base camp.

The disagreement apparently involved members of the Occupy protest and a group of transients at the park.

Officers were called just before 3:30 a.m. When they arrived, they found a 43-year-old man who claimed he was "crowd control for the protest," according to Salt Lake police detective Cary Wichmann.

The man told police another group was "causing problems" and he asked them to stop. One of the men responded by hitting him on the head with a board, Wichmann said, starting a fight.

As officers sorted out what had happened, they made their way to different tents and arrested people. The people in the tents were not necessarily part of the Occupy group, Wichmann said.

Jesse Jaramillo, 29, was arrested for investigation of aggravated assault for allegedly hitting the crowd control person on the head with a board. Carolina Chacon, 31, and Crystal Willie, 31, were both arrested for investigation of public intoxication and alcohol possession in the park. Mark Pacheco, 39, was arrested for investigation of public intoxication.

At least three of the people arrested have been charged numerous times in 3rd District Court, according to court records, mainly for misdemeanor crimes such as public intoxication, trespassing and theft.

— Pat Reavy Twitter: DNewsCrimeTeam