A New Mexico sheriff running for mayor of Albuquerque was allegedly punched by a man at a campaign event after a drone with a sex toy attached flew near the stage and interrupted his speech.
Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales, a Democrat, was not injured during the bizarre stunt that occurred Wednesday as the candidate was answering questions from constituents.
A video posted to Facebook shows the moment when the drone began buzzing through the air near the stage as the sex toy dangled underneath it, prompting some chuckles from the audience.
Gonzales was forced to pause and acknowledge the awkward moment, saying “we have a gentleman over here who’s trying to be cute.”
“It became so distracting from the sound and everything I couldn't really get my point across."
After about a minute, the organizer of the event yanked the device out of the air and that’s when 20-year-old Kaelan Ashby Dreyer entered the frame and tried to wrest the phallic device from the man’s hands.
A short scuffle ensued and a security team swiftly rushed in and tackled Dreyer to the ground, video shows.
The man was later charged with petty misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor resisting, evading or obstructing an officer.
A sheriff’s office report stated Dreyer took a swing at Gonzales and called him a “tyrant,” and that Dreyer punched Gonzales’ hands, however, the camera footage was taken from an angle behind the mayhem and obscured the alleged assault.
“To suggest we were behind it is pathetic and the kind of desperation that has marked Manny's troubled campaign."
As deputies escorted him from the scene, the video shows Dreyer turn back toward the stage and yell “This guy’s a pedophile!”
Gonzales appeared unshaken after the outlandish episode.
It was unclear whether Dreyer was responsible for operating the contraption by remote control.
At a news conference Wednesday, Gonzales said he believed Dreyer was with several companions and spotted someone standing on the other side of a fence who he believes was flying the drone.
“It became so distracting from the sound and everything I couldn’t really get my point across,” Gonzales said.
According to an arrest report, Dreyer said he did not intend to hit Gonzales but was upset at the way Gonzales answered a question and intended to swing his fist through the air.
Gonzales suggested the stunt with the drone may have been sent by the rival campaign of incumbent Mayor Tim Keller, also a Democrat.
Keller’s campaign condemned the stunt as “disruptive, rude and immature” and denied any involvement.
“To suggest we were behind it is pathetic and the kind of desperation that has marked Manny’s troubled campaign,” Keller campaign manager Neri Holguin said.
Dreyer denied to the Albuquerque Journal that he was working for Keller’s campaign and said he’s not a fan of the incumbent, either. He declined to comment further.
Information provided by The Associated Press was used to compile this report.
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