VALENTINE — A Valentine man is in critical condition in an El Paso hospital after what some characterized as a fight and others as an assault at the Valentine Bar on Highway 90 on August 2, according to relatives and sources who witnessed the bar’s security video of the incident.
The sources that viewed the video do not want to be named, because they are not actual witnesses to the incident in person and do not know what led to the altercation.
Gary Morton, 61, a longtime resident of Valentine, has been in an intensive care unit in critical condition since the incident and could face months in the ICU, said Julie Morton, his daughter and the Brewster County Treasurer. Gary’s wife is Lisa Morton, who works for the Van Horn Advocate newspaper. The Mortons said they wanted to limit their comments to Gary’s general medical status because of the investigation and uncertainty of many details of what happened.
Sources said the other man involved in the incident is Maxie Slover, 62, also a longtime resident of Valentine. Slover could not be reached for comment.
One source said Morton was knocked out after a scuffle resulted in him falling and hitting his head on the floor of the bar, while another said he was also struck by Slover while on the ground.
Jeff Wilson, the Valentine Bar owner, said he did not want to discuss any specifics of the case because he was working with law enforcement on the investigation, but he confirmed the date of the incident and the individuals involved. He also said his bar is known for being a quiet, friendly place. “There hasn’t been a fight there since 2019 when I took over the bar,” he said.
The Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to a phone request for basic information on the incident, although The Sentinel filed an open records request for that information on Monday. Sources said a Texas Ranger for the Big Bend, Malcolm White, was working on an investigation into the incident. Contacted by phone on Monday, White said he does not comment on open investigations but that he would work with his staff to ensure The Sentinel will receive any basic information from an open records request filed with the Department of Public Safety as soon as possible.