Raymond Cruz, the actor best known for his role as Tuco Salamanca on Breaking Bad, was detained by Los Angeles police on Monday after an alleged dispute in which officers say he sprayed water toward a girl during a parking confrontation.
An LAPD spokesperson told TMZ that Cruz, 60, was detained on suspicion of misdemeanor battery after the incident outside his Los Angeles home at about 10:40 a.m. The actor was released on his own recognizance just after 4 p.m., and online court records show he is due to appear Oct. 1. As of Tuesday, prosecutors had not filed formal misdemeanor charges.
Cruz’s agent, Raphael Berko, told People that the dispute began when the actor asked three women to move a white minivan he said was parked “half an inch” from his vehicle, preventing him from washing it. Berko said the women refused and began filming Cruz as he cleaned his car. According to the agent, when Cruz turned to tell them to stop filming, water from his hose splashed onto the front of their vehicle and allegedly struck a girl who was with the group.
LAPD officer David Cuellar told People that investigators believe Cruz “sprayed water towards the victim.” The account published by TMZ said police considered the incident a misdemeanor battery, and that officers took Cruz into custody before releasing him later the same day.
Berko described the arrest as unexpected and said Cruz — who lives with his wife, actress Simi Mehta — had never before been arrested. He also said Cruz was appreciative of what the agent called courteous treatment by LAPD personnel while in custody.
Cruz, who is 60, has had a long career in film and television that includes the role of the volatile Tuco Salamanca on Breaking Bad and recurring work as a law-enforcement character on series such as The Closer and Major Crimes. His high-profile roles have made him a recognizable figure in television drama.
The dispute reportedly began as a routine neighborhood interaction about parking and escalated after one party began recording the actor. It is not clear how old the girl alleged to have been sprayed was or how much water contacted her. Authorities have not released the victim’s name or provided additional details about any injuries.
Investigators from the LAPD will determine whether to forward the matter to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for charging. Cruz is scheduled for a court appearance on Oct. 1, according to online records. The LAPD and Cruz’s representatives did not immediately provide further comment beyond earlier statements to media outlets.
