Clovis man charged with assault on school employees

CLOVIS -- A Clovis man has been charged with aggravated assault on school employees and carrying a deadly weapon on school premises, both fourth-degree felonies, after witnesses said he shouted at school officials and placed his hand on a gun in a car parked at the school.

Clovis police on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for Joshua Moralez, 19, of Clovis, through Curry County Magistrate Court. He remained at large on Friday.

Clovis High School counselor Mindy Sena and an assistant principal, Mike Rutledge,of Clovis High School, told police Moralez was shouting at them and calling them names Monday as they escorted a female student to her mother’s car after the student had been suspended for fighting.

Moralez was a passenger in the mother’s car, police said in a criminal complaint.

As Rutledge, Sena and the student approached the car, Moralez started shouting at the school officials and calling them names, according to the criminal complaint.

As Moralez was shouting at them, Sena said she saw Moralez put his hand on an object that she recognized as a gun and warned Rutledge about the presence of the weapon. Sena and Rutledge returned to the school building as the student, her mother and Moralez drove away without further incident, according to the complaint.