Antonio Castro

Name:
Castro, Antonio Cavinal

Date of Booking:
05/06/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

[NARRATIVE #1 on May 06, 2026]

On May 6, 2026, I responded to the area of Rankin Rd to assist with a possible assault investigation. Initially, the nature of the call was dispatched as a medical call. A third-party caller from Gainesville had called requesting a welfare check on someone who was bleeding from their head after being hit with a glass bottle.

There was difficulty obtaining information about the nature of the injuries due to a language barrier. The caller only spoke Spanish. Dep. Haag was the first to arrive at the scene and requested that I respond to assist due to the language barrier, and further advised that the injuries appeared to have been sustained from an assault.

When I arrived at the scene, I saw broken glass from broken Modelo beer bottles on the empty parking stalls. As I approached the apartment, I saw droplets of blood leading to the door. I entered the apartment and Dep. Haag briefed me on his initial findings. He advised that the first subject he met with injuries was the younger brother. The younger brother had gone next door to help out his older brother, who had gotten into a fight.

Initially, I only saw that the younger brother had a laceration on his left forearm and a cut on his right shoulder. The depth of these cuts was enough for fat under the skin to be exposed. I then followed Dep. Haag to a bedroom where the older brother was lying in bed. I saw that the older brother had a swollen left eye. His eye was so swollen that it could not able to be opened, and he had a deep cut on his left eyebrow.

I began asking the older brother for initial information, and he advised me of the following: he had been drinking with some coworkers, and suddenly, two of the coworkers turned on him and began attacking him by punching and kicking him. Eventually, the fight progressed, and he was then struck with a bottle over the head.

He then advised that the coworkers he was drinking with had insisted that he continue drinking, and when he refused, they turned on him. His younger brother came out to help him when he was attacked by the two coworkers. He confirmed that they all know each other, and one of the attackers works with him. At this point, Nationals EMS entered the room and asked to evaluate him. The EMT advised that the cut on the eyebrow was going to need stitches and suggested an X-ray of the eye to rule out a fracture or broken bone. The older brother eventually agreed to go to the hospital after strong suggestions from the EMT and assurances that the younger brother was going to the hospital as well.

I was unable to speak to the younger brother at the scene and gather information beyond his name and date of birth. Due to the extent of his injuries, EMTs suggested that he be transported immediately. It was later determined that the younger brother had sustained a deep laceration starting on his left armpit, leading down his mid-torso. Both brothers were transported to Piedmont Regional.

I contacted Inv. Schiffer and briefed him on my initial findings. He was joined by an ACCPD officer to assist him with translation.

I then followed up with residents of the apartment and interviewed them one at a time. All residents had given similar statements that they were all asleep when the victims came to the door and advised them that they had been attacked. All the residents of the apartment work at different restaurants in the area. Some work together.

All residents insisted that after they left work, they returned home and went to sleep. No one participated in drinking after work. I looked over each of the residents I spoke to; no one showed any signs of having been involved in a fight. No small cuts on knuckles or defensive wounds, either on their arms or their faces.

I canvassed the area, and I saw that a blue Toyota Camry parked next to the broken glass had front-end damage as if it had been involved in an accident. Dep. McCannon advised me that he had staged his vehicle near some debris on Rankin Rd. looked over the debris, and it appeared to have come from the parked sedan. I saw a Toyota badge and broken plastic grille pieces matching what remained on the vehicle.

I then saw that there was a trail of what appeared to be fluid from a vehicle. The trail went from where it appears the collision happened to Timber Mill Dr, and then down Timber Mill Run. The trail led all the way to the cul-de-sac and turned back around to the scene of the accident and back out Rankin Rd. Dep. Fowler followed the trail as it led out of Rankin Rd and into the parking lot of Mars Hill Dental. The trail is lost afterwards.

I continued canvassing the area and saw an earbud on the floor next to a broken beer bottle with blood on the end. This was located near the rear driver side area of the Toyota. I then found an empty box of Modelo beer on the sidewalk with blood on it. A trail of blood leads from the box, down the 4 side of the duplex, and around back. There was blood on the grass as it continued leading to a door on the 2/3 corner of the house.

For reference, looking at the front of the quadruplex, the front of the building is side 1. Going clockwise, the number goes up as the left side of the building is 2 side. The back-left corner of the building is 2/3. I saw blood smears on the door. This door leads to the kitchen of the apartment where I met with the victims. There was still a trail of blood leading from the kitchen door to the main door that leads into the living room area of the apartment.

Inv. Schiffer then followed up with me, and he advised me that he was able to get the name of “Pedro” as the identity of one of the attackers. He was still unable to get an address at that time. I briefed him of my findings regarding the vehicle appearing to have been involved in a wreck and the trail of fluid from the intersection down Timber Mill Run. I followed up with the residents with new information, and I asked if anyone knew of a “Pedro” subject. One of the residents stated that it may have been a subject that lives nearby, but he had been kicked out because he causes too much trouble.

Sgt. Pulliam later arrived and relieved the deputies who were holding the scene. Inv. Schiffer then called me and provided me with an address on Timber Mill Run to follow up on. Cpl. Vaughn and Dep. Lewis joined me, and we followed up at the address. Cpl. Vaughn remained with me, and Dep. Lewis went around the back of the apartment. After knocking loudly, Dep. Lewis began yelling out at someone from the back to show their hands. I ran to Dep. Lewis and he advised me that he saw two subjects peek through the back window. I ran back to the front of the apartment and the first subject opened the door.

I saw a male subject with blood on his face and on his hands. I gave orders in Spanish to place his hands on his head and to kneel. I then detained the first subject (handcuffed) and asked if there was anyone else in the apartment. The subject, later identified as Antonio Castro Cavinal, stated that it was just him. We moved the subject away from the front door, and I called out in Spanish for whoever was still in the apartment to come out.

After some time, a second subject stepped out. This subject, later identified as Pedro Castro Cavinal, had blood on his face and on both his hands. He was detained and escorted away from the front door. I then entered the apartment to clear it and ensure there was no one else. As the apartment was cleared, I saw blood on the floor and on different parts of the wall.

Once the apartment was cleared, I gathered the information on both suspects. I read them both Miranda Warning in Spanish, and they both advised they understood their rights as I explained them. I separated Antonio, and I asked him if he was injured anywhere else. Antonio just made statements saying that what happened was wrong and that they will move to another state if necessary to avoid any further trouble.

The manner in which Antonio gave this statement was as if he was hoping that by leaving the issue would be resolved. I noticed that Antonio’s shirt looked wet from the front, and I asked if I could lift it. Antonio agreed. When I lifted his shirt, I saw that he had a horizontal laceration on the right side of his mid-torso. We requested that Nationals arrive to treat Antonio for his injury.

I asked Antonio to explain what happened the night before. He smelled strongly of alcohol, and his speech was slurred. Initially, he left work at around midnight. They stayed late working due to the Cinco de Mayo holiday. He could not tell me the name of the restaurant where he worked because he had just moved to the area and was still unfamiliar with the names of places. He claimed that he and Pedro worked at the same restaurant. He advised that he and Pedro, along with other coworkers, were in a blue car that had been involved in a crash.

Antonio then changed his statement and advised that he rode his bike home from work and met with Pedro after he was involved in a wreck. He and his brother then returned home, which was the address we located them at. He then changed his statement and advised “porque te voy a mentir” [why would I lie to you/meaning: admitting he lied initially]. After he met with Pedro, where the blue car is, they all drank, and that’s where the issues started.

Antonio could not elaborate as to what started the fight. He alluded to the fact that it became about ego, one person thinking they are better than the other. I then asked how he got involved, and he admitted that he was bothered by the statements and jumped into the fight. He insisted that he just fought using his fists. After the fight, he got up and returned home. Antonio then began insisting that if the other guys did not want to see him anymore, then he was fine just leaving. He has no problem just moving somewhere else.

I then followed up with Pedro as he was sitting in the back of my patrol vehicle. While sitting in the back, I smelled a strong odor of alcoholic beverages emanating from Pedro. Pedro advised me the following: he left work at approximately 2330 Hrs. He hired a coworker from the restaurant to give him a ride home. It was later determined that the driver was one of the victims, the older brother.

When they got to the parking lot, other coworkers assaulted him. He then identified two subjects with whom he lives at the residence we found him in. One of the subjects he names is later identified as a witness to the assault. Pedro stated that a dispute at the parking lot developed into a fight. I then advised Pedro that we would have to go over all the information step by step.

Pedro then stated that he had already been drinking at work and was already intoxicated. The driver dropped him off at Rankin Rd/Mars Hill Rd. He met with Antonio, and they rode down Rankin Rd together. They rode straight home and remained there. He said that the roommates later arrived at the apartment, all intoxicated and picking fights with him and Antonio. Pedro stated that the arguments they had were because he used to work with one of his roommates, and they did not get along at work. It had to do with the fact that he was only a cook, and the other roommate saw himself as a higher-level cook.

Pedro insisted that he never left home and did not get into any fight anywhere else. He then advised that his boss had arrived at the apartment later because of the fight. When his boss arrived, he advised the roommates to leave and stay at a hotel for the evening. I asked Pedro, who grabbed a bottle during the fight. Pedro insisted that no one grabbed a weapon, and the fight was only using fists. I asked Pedro how Antonio got cut on his torso. Pedro stated he wasn’t sure and that it was possibly self-sustained by accident. Pedro would not elaborate further and insisted that there was only one fight at the apartment.

It should be noted that Pedro was searched incident to arrest, and a wallet and a headphone case were found in his pocket. The space for the headphone case appeared to be of the same brand and shape as the headphone found at the initial scene.

I then followed up with Inv. Schiffer briefed him on my recent findings. We determined that we still had at least two parties unaccounted for, and the boss of all these subjects would know where they were. The boss later arrived at the scene, and I asked him to explain his side of the incident. He stated that he had gotten a call from one of Pedro’s roommates and was advised that there had been a fight at approximately 0220 Hrs. When he arrived, he saw that Pedro and Antonio were covered in blood. He explained that he only hired the suspects when he was really shorthanded because he felt that the suspects were troublemakers based on how they behaved at work. Causing arguments and not getting along with coworkers.

He was told that Pedro and Antonio had come into the apartment and started a fight with two other residents and a guest. The three were able to restrain Pedro and Antonio. In order to avoid further trouble, one of the residents called the boss, and the boss got them a room at a hotel for the evening. The boss elaborated on what he saw when he arrived at the apartment and stated that while he saw Pedro and Antonio were covered in blood, the other subjects had no blood on them. The boss then offered to bring the subjects he took to the hotel.

I then interviewed the subjects who stayed at the hotel. There are three. Two of the subjects work at the same restaurant for the boss listed. The third works and lives somewhere else; he just happened to be visiting with his friends when Pedro and Antonio came into the apartment. For the sake of the report’s simplicity, the subjects are described as follows: the witness lives with Pedro and Antonio, and he also works for the boss. Interviewed 1 also lives at the same place and works for the same employer. Interviewed 2 lives and works somewhere else.

Witness stated that after work, he went straight home. Interviewed 1 was not home yet, and he called him to ask where he was. Interviewed 1 stated that their driver had gotten into a wreck. It turns out that the driver is the older brother who was taken to the hospital. The wreck happened between two vehicles, but all parties knew each other. Due to their condition, they agreed not to call 9-1-1 to report the wreck and handle it among themselves. Tensions began due to the wreck.

Witness stated that both Interviewed 1 and 2 decided to come over and avoid being in the area because people were heavily intoxicated. While at the apartment, the younger victim started calling him, asking for help. First was a 3-minute phone call at 0129 Hrs. Witness explained that the younger brother stated that Pedro and Antonio were attacking his older brother. At 0156 Hrs he got a text asking for help. At 0159, a short video was sent showing the older brother’s injuries.

He then asked both interviewees 1 and 2 to join him to head over to help. He ended up going alone. He stopped at the corner of Timber Mill Dr/ Rankin Rd. He saw Pedro and Antonio attacking the younger brother. He described the injuries he saw on the younger brother, cuts on his arm and a large cut on his back. Due to the extent of the injuries and the fact that the fight involved weapons, he chose not to get involved, so he ran back home.

Antonio and Pedro later arrived and began banging on the door, demanding to be let in. He told his roommate and friend to head to his room. He chose to open the door because Pedro and Antonio were causing a commotion. After he unlocked the door, both Pedro and Antonio began trying to fight everyone in the apartment. Among the three, they restrained Pedro and Antonio. His roommate called their boss, who later arrived and got a hotel room for them.

Interviewed 1 stated that he was in the vehicle with the older brother and Pedro. A wreck happened where the older brother rear-ended another vehicle. After the wreck, he went home. Witness stated that the younger brother was calling and stating that he was being attacked. Witness asked them to join him, but they refused to get involved. Witness then returned, and soon after, both Pedro and Antonio began causing a commotion, banging on the door.

Witness unlocked the front door and retreated to a bedroom. Due to the door not locking all the way, Pedro and Antonio made their way into the bedroom and began picking a fight with all of them. Among the three, they restrained Pedro and Antonio, and when they gave up fighting, they all stepped away from each other. He then called his boss to let him know what was going on.

Interviewed 2 stated that when he got home from work, he did not witness the wreck, but he met with Interviewed 1 and joined him at their apartment. Witness told him that the younger brother was calling him, telling him that they were being attacked. Witness left to help. He refused to join and get involved. Witness later returned home. Pedro and Antonio arrived later and then tried to pick a fight with everyone at the apartment. He helped hold Pedro and Antonio down until they stopped fighting. Another subject later arrived, the boss, and took them to a hotel room for the night.

It should be noted that none of the subjects I interviewed showed signs of having been involved in a fight. They did not have any bruising or cuts on their person.

On May 9, 2026, I followed up with Antonio. I escorted him from the jail to the interview room located in the patrol building. I read him Miranda Warning, and he stated he understood his rights as I explained them to him. Antonio explained that he had already been drinking since he had been at work. He left work at around midnight. He advised that when he arrived at Rankin Rd he saw some people drinking on the sidewalk, so he stopped by to join them.

He admitted he was already intoxicated when he joined in. He could not name or give an estimated number of people who were there. He then named his roommates, the witness and Interviewed 1, stating that they were there, but left to go home. He could not remember what the argument was about. People left after the initial argument. Then a fight started. He could not remember who struck whom first.

Once the fight started, 8 people then came out and surrounded him and Pedro. After being beaten, he saw the witness run away from the scene. He and Pedro then made their way home and knocked on the door because they were locked out. Once they were let in, another fight broke out, where he and Pedro were attacked. After the fight, the boss was called.

The boss later arrived and took the other subjects away. Since they aren’t the type of people who cause problems, they did not have it in their minds to flee. Antonio explained that if they made a habit of this, then they would have known to flee instead of falling asleep. Antonio insisted that he did not grab a bottle. I then explained that as a result of the fight, someone was seriously injured and nearly died. Antonio did not show remorse and made the statement that whoever got seriously hurt only got hurt because they got themselves involved.

I then followed up with Pedro in the interview room. I read him Miranda Warning, and he stated he understood his rights as I explained them to him. Pedro explained the following: he had possibly already consumed 10-11 beers while at work. The older brother was intoxicated and gave him a ride home. He has an agreement with the older brother where he pays $200 every two weeks for rides to and from work. When they got to Rankin Rd, the older brother rear-ended another vehicle. Since they all knew each other due to the restaurant industry, they decided to work it out amongst themselves.

Pedro commented that he does not normally drink, and if he does, he usually has much less than what he had that evening. He drank in excess due to the holiday. He remained in the area drinking with Antonio and the older brother. He stated that there were other people there too, but he could not remember their names or what they looked like. He does not remember what set off the fight. He just remembers being struck in the face and feeling blood come down his nose.

He admitted he became furious and blacked out when he started fighting. There were approximately 5 people there assaulting him and Antonio. He was being dragged, so he grabbed a bottle and started throwing it. He insists that he did not swing a broken bottle at anyone. The fight ended when the two victims of the incident saw that they were bleeding and ran off. He and Antonio then returned home, and another fight was started with whoever was there.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on May 06, 2026]

On May 6, 2026, at 4:41 am I, Deputy Christopher Haag, was on duty for the Oconee County Sheriff Office in full uniform. Dispatch requested deputies to respond to a medical call for injury to the head and language barrier.

I arrived in the parking lot area of the call and noticed a serving spoon, hat and shirt in the roadway. There was a group of males near the lower apartment door. I noticed broken glass in the parking spaces and there was blood on the glass and pavement. There were blood droplets all over the parking lot area. I requested additional deputies to assist with the scene and situation.

The males had entered the apartment and closed the door while I was looking over the area. I knocked on the door and two hispanic males answered the door and did not speak English. I was able to have them let me in and show me a male with injures to his left hand and dried blood on his left arm. He was covered in a blanket due to not wearing a shirt.

National EMS arrived to treat the male. I asked the males if there was any other people residing in the apartment. There was one that stayed on the couch and there was another asleep in bed. The male on the couch showed his face and appeared ok. I had them go wake the male in the bed to check on his well-being. The male in bed had facial injuries and dried blood on his head. Another deputy arrived and was able to communicate in Spanish with the resident.

I then took pictures of the scene. I took pictures of both males that had injures. My body camera recorded the conversations and scene. On call CID was notified and scene turned over to responding CID.

[End of Narrative]