Accusations are flying after the son of a Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested and stunned with a Taser three times for allegedly acting disorderly during the Española Fiesta.
Deputy James Lujan’s son, Richard Lujan, 21, is at the center of the controversy. His rough weekend began July 10 when he was kicked off the Española Plaza by Adult Probation Officer Allen Dominguez for allegedly being drunk during the Fiesta, according to Española Police Sgt. Christian Lopez.
Trouble followed Richard Lujan the following day when he allegedly got into a pushing and shoving match with an unidentified individual during the Fiesta. When officers found Richard Lujan, he was belligerent to them and was told to leave again, Lopez said.
Deputy Delfin Quintana intervened and walked Richard Lujan away from the Plaza. Quintana released Lujan before he actually left the Fiesta grounds, and he returned to where the fight had broken out, Lopez said.
The officers watched to see whether Richard Lujan would eventually walk off the Fiesta grounds on his own, Lopez said. A few feet from the edge of the grounds, he taunted the officers, and as one came forward to arrest him, he allegedly swung at him, Lopez said. In the ensuing scuffle, Richard Lujan fell on top of Dominguez, injuring his shoulder, Lopez said.
“Richard just refused to comply,” Lopez said. “He put up a fight, resisted arrest, a Taser was used for compliance, but it didn’t work the first two times — the third time he finally complied and then during the scuffle he got a small cut, almost a scratch on his head.”
James Lujan, who was off duty, arrived at the grounds and saw his son sitting on the ground handcuffed behind his back with abrasions on his face. James Lujan said he didn’t want his son to speak to the media before trial, but told a reporter the version of events his son relayed to him.
James Lujan said his son, who he claims wasn’t intoxicated, was walking toward a friend’s house on Barbee Street when the officers taunted him, and he talked back. Richard Lujan told his father that he didn’t swing at any officers, and was tackled and had his legs knocked out from under him. Richard Lujan landed on his arms and didn’t resist arrest, James Lujan said.
James Lujan asked Lopez what happened and why his son was stunned with a Taser.
“James made some comments, I’m not going to say what he did say; he made comments toward the officers, we’ll leave it at that,” Lopez said. “James was an instructor with Taser so he would know and James has done it himself so for James to say we have no right to Tase him is — I won’t even go there.”
Richard Lujan was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and attempted battery on a police officer. He was bonded out the same day after his stepmother posted $1,000 bond, according to James Lujan and court documents. Richard Lujan was charged with DUI twice in 2007, but both cases were dismissed, according to an online court records database. He was stabbed in March following a fight at an Española home.