40 people involved in brawl over towel at a Sacramento water park

A fight over a beach towel at the Raging Waters Park at Cal Expo escalated to include 40 people and left one man in critical condition.

Police said the fight broke out between two families on Sunday. Park management said in a statement that at around 3 p.m., there was a verbal argument that started over a beach towel and escalated to a physical argument with dozens of people near the lazy river.

The chief of the Cal Expo Police Department said it grew to insults when one family was upset that profanity was used in front of children.

When the fight was over, police found 35-year-old Christopher Neves of Modesto unconscious and without a heartbeat. Paramedics performed CPR, and he is being treated at UC Davis Medical Center. Neves’ mother was also taken to the hospital after having an asthma attack brought on by the incident.

For safety reasons, park management closed Raging Waters for the day. Cal Expo police are still investigating the incident and said charges are pending. The police chief said that alcohol was involved, and long after the park closed people were still arguing.