Boxing star Ryan Garcia was arrested on suspicion of vandalism at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Beverly Hills after damaging a room on Saturday, authorities said.
Beverly Hills Police Lt. Andrew Myers said officers responded to a report of an “intoxicated person,” who they later identified as Garcia, at the hotel around 5:15 p.m.
“It was determined that Mr. Garcia was a registered guest of the hotel and had caused damage to a guest room and the hotel hallway,” Myers said in a statement. “The hotel management requested the arrest of Mr. García for property damage.”
García was booked and taken to a hospital, according to Myers, who did not specify if the boxer was injured during the arrest.
The boxer’s attorney, Darin Chavez, said Garcia recently received “devastating” news about his mother’s health and has been going through an “extraordinarily difficult time.”
“Ryan has been open about his struggles with mental health over the years, and right now he is dealing with an immense emotional burden,” Chavez said in a statement. “The support and understanding of fans and the public is crucial as he navigates these personal challenges. “We are working diligently to provide Ryan with the resources he needs.”
An employee who responded to a phone call at the hotel Sunday morning referred all questions to police, citing a guest privacy policy.
Garcia, 25, was cited and released to the care of the hospital, Myers said. Under California law, vandalism is a felony if a person causes more than $400 in alleged damage.
Garcia (25-1, 20 KO) made headlines in April by defeating undefeated WBC super lightweight champion Devin Haney by decision in Brooklyn. The victory was considered an upset, but has since been mired in controversy: Garcia exceeded the 140-pound weight limit, so the WBC junior welterweight title did not change hands. Garcia has since tested positive for a banned substance.
Observers had also noticed that Garcia was acting erratically and making strange social media posts in the lead-up to the fight. That trend continued Saturday afternoon.
Just hours before his arrest, García posted messages on X about people protecting “pedos,” short for pedophiles, and complained that he had not yet been paid for the fight against Haney.
“Everyone is a [improperio] disgusting person who tries to hide his mistakes,” García wrote in his last message around 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.
On Sunday morning, García posted that he was “waiting” in the hospital and asked his fans for prayers.
“I feel like Ryan Spears
“Aka Britney Spears
“This doesn’t work
