10-12-04 - A Blue Ridge woman who witnessed a fight on October 3rd is coming to the defense of two of the teenagers involved. Cyndi Gaddy claims they were both the victims of racism, during the fight and the investigation.

Collin County deputies arrested Lionel Bayiha and Nathan Dawson as they arrived for a football game in Anna last Friday. They bonded out of jail and returned to play in the 2nd half of the game.

Cyndi Gaddy is the mother of Bayiha’s girlfriend, and took them to the party in Blue Ridge after a football game between the two towns on October 3rd. But she says when they arrived; some teenagers used racial slurs toward the two teens. Moments later, a large fight broke out. Gaddy says Bayiha and Dawson were just two of at least one dozen teens taking part in the fight.

The host of the party, David Garcia, was hit in the head with a steel bar by someone during the fight, and has to spend time in the hospital. He told First News he doesn't know what started the fight, or whether it was racially motivated but agrees it seems strange that only two people have been arrested so far.

Collin County deputies are planning on arresting two more people involved in the fight. They say there have been delays with the warrants.