In a shocking turn of events, a Father’s Day barbecue in late June escalated into a violent altercation, resulting in the arrest of a prominent community figure. Ryan Reid Woodcraft, a trustee of the Socorro independent school District was taken into custody on Saturday, July 25 following an incident that left a 16-year-old injured and sparked a criminal investigation.
The incident, which occurred on June 21 at a home in Far East El Paso was detailed in court documents obtained by local news outlets. The allegations paint a disturbing picture of the events that unfolded during what was supposed to be a joyous gathering.
The Alleged Assault
According to the complaint affidavit, the altercation began when Woodcraft allegedly tackled the teenage victim, pulled the kid’s shirt over their head, and dragged them from the garage into the living room. The victim reported that Woodcraft had been acting strangely throughout the evening, showing a temporary tattoo on his nipple to the children and chasing two underage kids into the garage.
The victim further alleged that Woodcraft threw a large industrial trash bag roll weighing approximately 50 to 100 pounds but missed. The victim stated that Woodcraft then tackled them, causing them to hit their head on the garage door latch. The assault continued as Woodcraft allegedly pulled the teen’s shirt over their head and dragged them into the living room, where he put the victim in a chokehold.
The victim described feeling dizzy and experiencing tunnel vision-like sensations as a result of the chokehold. Despite the victim’s attempts to fight off Woodcraft by punching him, the chokehold persisted until a witness intervened.
The Witness Account
A witness, who was hosting the Father’s Day cookout, recounted to investigators how he had to kick Woodcraft and pull his hair to get him to release the teen from the chokehold. The witness initially thought Woodcraft was messing around with his son but quickly realized the victim was not his son and that their face was red and purple with tears rolling down their eyes.
The witness also described Woodcraft’s strange behavior throughout the evening, including talking about buying drugs. According to the witness, Woodcraft asked for weed and used the witness’s phone to access an unknown website that sells drugs, saying, If you order shrooms tell them in the notes that Woodcraft sent you.
The Aftermath and Charges
Woodcraft was booked into the El paso county Downtown Jail on Saturday, July 25 over a month after the incident. He was charged with assault causing bodily injury with bond set at $3,500. Jail records show that Woodcraft was released from jail the same day after posting a surety bond.
The Socorro Independent school district has acknowledged the situation involving Woodcraft and stated that they will follow the appropriate process in reviewing the matter. The district has no additional information to share at this time.
