Burns Flat Man Facing Up To 10 Years For Assault

A 36-year-old Burns Flat man could spend the next 10 years behind bars following his arrest on a felony charge of assault, battery, or assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Gilberto Hernandez-Moreno was arrested by Deputy Shawn Pierce of the Washita County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 21, 2019, after a reported altercation in the parking lot of the Burns Flat Co-Op.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed in the case by Pierce, he was dispatched to the scene at approximately 12:10 a.m. Upon his arrival he met Burns Flat officer Cory Armfield, who already had Hernandez-Moreno in his custody. Armfield advised Pierce that the suspect had assaulted another person who was seated in the front seat of a pickup truck on the property.

“The victim had been stabbed on the left side of his body and had a laceration on the left side of his head,” Pierce wrote. “Burns Flat EMS was on scene tending to the victim’s wounds.”

After a search of the common areas of the Co-Op cotton gin failed to turn up the knife, Pierce asked the suspect, through and interpreter, where the knife was located. Hernandez-Moreno reportedly told Pierce the knife was in a garbage can near the cotton gin building. The knife, with what appeared to be blood on the outside, was found inside the indicated trash can.

The victim told law enforcement that Hernandez-Moreno had called the victim’s sister and started saying vulgar things to her. A fight ensued and the suspect reportedly then pulled out a folding razor knife and cut the victim.

AirEvac then arrived on the scene and discovered the laceration on the victim’s side, which had severed an artery. He was stabilized and transported to Oklahoma City for care.

Hernandez-Moreno was then arrested and transported to the Washita County Justice Center. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.