Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Police: Man punched, dies after argument over jukebox

Updated Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014 | 11:54 a.m.

Click to enlarge photo

Luis Chavarin

Loose Caboose

All Luis Chavarin said he could remember was punching Phillip Mathews twice after an argument early Monday over the music on the jukebox at the Loose Caboose tavern, according to a Metro Police arrest report.

Chavarin, 31, reportedly told police Mathews approached him about 4:20 a.m. at the bar at 4450 West Flamingo Road and began to “push his buttons” and curse at him.

Chavarin said he felt Mathews was too close and worried about being sucker-punched, so Chavarin, who has trained as a boxer, punched Mathews twice, according to the report.

After that, Chavarin said, he blacked out and when he came to, he saw Mathews on the floor, blue and twitching, according to the report.

Witnesses said Chavarin was punching Mathews in the face, and when Mathews fell to the floor, patrons pulled Chavarin off him, according to the report.

Chavarin checked Mathews’ pulse and turned him on his side in case he was choking on blood, the police report said.

Chavarin said he didn’t intend to seriously hurt Mathews, according to the report.

Mathews died a short time later at University Medical Center.

Police arrested Chavarin and booked him into the Clark County Detention Center on a count of open murder. The Clark County District Attorney's Office has not yet filed charges against Chavarin, a spokesperson said this morning.

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