A Georgia father died after a man allegedly smacked him in the face with an open hand at a child’s birthday party.
According to the Dacula Patch, Gwinnett County police discovered Tomas Rodriquez lying on the ground around 3 a.m. Sunday. Authorities say he was not breathing.
Adrian Herrera, 31, reportedly told responding officers that Rodriquez was drunk and was harassing him during the birthday party Saturday night.
The victim’s family told WSB-TV that approximately 70 people were at the celebration.
Police said the adults stayed afterward to drink. That’s when Rodriquez began harassing Herrera, the local station reported.
Herrera warned Rodriquez to “knock it off” and became “irritated” because the man’s son was present at the home, according to police.
Herrera claimed he had just returned from riding a horse when Rodriquez grabbed him by the shoulder and said, “you’re not going home yet, are you p—y?” It was then that Herrera delivered the fatal blow, the New York Daily News reported.
The suspect allegedly attempted to revive the father of three but other partygoers prevented him from doing so.
The man’s widow, Ana Arriaga, admitted to WSB-TV that her husband had been drinking a lot that night but explained that he was in no condition to fight.
“It’s so hard, it’s so hard for me but I’m so sad for my little girl,” Arriaga said.
“Adrian broke a lot of lives, a lot of hearts.”
The 31-year-old was charged with involuntary manslaughter. On Tuesday, a judge ordered him to be held without bond.
Herrera is reportedly due back in court next week.
[Featured Image: Adrian Herrera/Gwinnett County Police Department; Tomas Rodriquez/WSB-TV video screenshot]