Boxer Ryan Garcia arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism in Beverly Hills
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Boxing star Ryan Garcia was arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Beverly Hills after causing damage to a room on Saturday, authorities said.
Beverly Hills Police Lt. Andrew Myers said officers responded to a report of an “intoxicated person,” whom they later identified as Garcia, at the hotel around 5:15 p.m.
“It was determined that Mr. Garcia was a registered guest of the hotel and had caused damage to a guest room and the hallway of the hotel,” Myers said in a statement. “Hotel management requested the arrest of Mr. Garcia for property damage.”
Garcia was booked and taken to a hospital, according to Myers, who did not say if the boxer was injured during the arrest.
The boxer’s attorney, Darin Chavez, said Garcia recently received “devastating” news about his mother’s health and has been going through an “extraordinarily challenging time.”
“Ryan has been open about his struggles with mental health over the years, and at this time he is dealing with an immense emotional burden,” Chavez said in a statement. “The support and understanding from fans and the public are crucial as he navigates these personal challenges. We are working diligently to provide Ryan with the resources he needs.”
An employee who answered a phone call at the hotel Sunday morning referred all questions to police, citing a guest privacy policy.
Garcia, 25, was cited and released to the hospital’s care, Myers said. Under California law, vandalism is a felony if a person causes more than $400 in alleged damage.
Garcia (25-1, 20 KOs) made headlines in April when he knocked off unbeaten World Boxing Council super lightweight champion Devin Haney by decision in Brooklyn. The victory was considered a stunning upset but has since been mired in controversy: Garcia came in over the 140-pound weight limit, so the WBC junior welterweight title did not change hands. Garcia has since tested positive for a banned substance.
Ryan Garcia knows he can’t wait forever to prove himself against boxing’s top fighters, but it’s unclear if he’ll ever get the signature win he seeks.
Observers had also noted that Garcia was acting erratically and making bizarre social media posts in the leadup to the fight. That trend continued Saturday afternoon. Just hours before his arrest, Garcia was posting messages to X about people protecting “pedos,” shorthand for pedophiles, and complained he hadn’t been paid yet for the Haney fight.
“Everyone is disgusting [expletive] trying to hide their wrongs,” Garcia wrote in his last post around 3 p.m. Saturday.
On Sunday morning, Garcia posted that he was “on hold” at the hospital and asked for prayers from his fans.
“I feel like I’m Ryan Spears
“Aka Britney Spears
“This sucks :( I never hurt anyone
“I’ve only ever loved everyone prayed for people
“And try to make a change in this cruel world,” he wrote around 11 a.m.
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