No arrests made yet in brawl over beach towel at Raging Waters, Cal Expo police say

Cal Expo police have not made any arrests following a Sunday brawl over a beach towel at Raging Waters that involved 40 people and left one man critically injured.

Everest Robillard, chief of the Cal Expo Police Department, said Monday the investigation is active and ongoing. No arrests are foreseen, however, because of conflicting statements from the two sides involved in the fight, he said.

While social media has been helpful in determining what happened, officers are looking for independent witnesses, he said.

Robillard told The Bee that Cal Expo police officers were called to Raging Waters at 3:28 p.m. Sunday to break up a fight involving about 40 people who were arguing over a beach towel. Not all of the people involved were physically fighting, but the conflict was between two families, each with 15 to 20 members, according to Robillard.

Robillard said the families gave conflicting accounts in interviews, but there were claims that a member of one family took a beach towel belonging to the other family.

Alcohol was involved, Robillard said.

When officers broke up the fight, they found Christopher Neves of Modesto, 35, unconscious and without a heartbeat. Paramedics performed CPR and revived him. Neves was transported to a local area hospital.

Following the fight, the water park closed early and attendees were escorted out.

This story was originally published August 26, 2019 at 1:51 PM.