Men who rushed Coors Field, accosted MLB star arrested
Fiueld guards carry away one of two fans who approached Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. as Acuna took the field for the bottom of the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
maylen
DENVER (KDVR) — The two men who were seen rushing Coors Field during the Colorado Rockies game against the Atlanta Braves have been arrested for trespassing and disturbing the peace, according to the Denver Police Department.
Jefferson Gonzales-Merida, 23, and Carlos Rivelo-Paiz, 21, were identified as the two men who ran onto Coors Field and accosted Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr.
During the seventh inning of Monday night’s game, Gonzales-Merida and Rivelo-Paiz allegedly got onto the field without permission and approached Acuña. According to The Associated Press, one of them was able to get his arms around Acuña, but DPD did not identify which suspect touched the outfielder.
Shortly after entering the field, Coors Field staff grabbed the two suspects and escorted them away where Denver Police took them into custody.
Field guards hold back a fan as he exchanges words with Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr., right, as second baseman Ozzie Albies (1) looks on in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, in Denver (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Field guards haul away one of two fans who approached Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) before the bottom of the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, in Denver (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr., bottom center, ends up on the turf as field guards wrestle down two fans who approached him as he took his spot in the field for the bottom of the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, in Denver (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 
Fiueld guards carry away one of two fans who approached Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. as Acuna took the field for the bottom of the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Gonzales-Merida and Rivelo-Paiz were arrested on charges of trespassing and disturbing the peace.
Denver Police also said that a third person, a juvenile male, briefly got onto the field before returning to the stands. That person was apprehended by Coors Field staff and charged with trespassing.
Following the incident, Acuña confirmed he wasn’t injured and remained in the game.
“I was a little scared at first,” Acuña said through an interpreter. “I think the fans were out there and asking for pictures. I really couldn’t say anything because at that point, security was already there and we were already kind of tangled up, but security was able to get there and everything’s OK. We’re all OK and I hope they’re OK.”
Denver Police said further charges will not be pursued.
Last month, another fan made it onto Coors Field while the Rockies were playing the New York Yankees. The man ran toward Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe and threw what appeared to be a white T-shirt at him.
The unidentified fan was quickly wrestled to the ground by security personnel, but not before saying something to Volpe.
“I was pretty startled by it all. He was saying something, but I couldn’t hear what he was saying. I thought the stadium security did a really good job,” Volpe said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
