An Abiquiú man who claims a Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s deputy assaulted him two years ago while he was walking along Rio Arriba County Road 49 near Velarde has sued the County and the now former deputy.
In a lawsuit filed Sept. 10 in state District Court, Stephen Sanchez, 39, claims he was “accosted, tasered, battered and assaulted” by former deputy Richard Trujillo. The incident occurred on a night exactly two years prior to the filing, Sept. 10, 2007, according to the suit.
Trujillo, County Sheriff Joe Mascareñas and the County Commission are named as defendants in the case. Sanchez is seeking monetary damages to be determined at trial for personal injuries and “other damages.”
Sanchez, who lists no attorney and apparently filed the suit himself, claims in the suit he was walking along County Road 49 about 8:30 p.m. when Trujillo stopped him and accused him of driving a vehicle that was left unattended on State Road 68 in Velarde. The suit doesn’t say whether it was indeed Sanchez’s vehicle.
After telling Sanchez he had been driving the vehicle, Trujillo then beat Sanchez and arrested him, according to the suit. Sanchez also claims he was later falsely charged with crimes relating to the incident, although he doesn’t specify what the charges were, and an online courts database shows no record of the incident.
The most recent charge against Sanchez listed in the database was filed Aug. 25, 2006, for driving while his license was suspended. Sanchez later pleaded no contest to a reduced charge stating drivers must be licensed.
Trujillo was fired from the Sheriff’s Department Oct. 20, 2008, more than a year after the incident, County Human Resources Director Jessica Madrid said. Madrid declined to comment on why he was fired.
Trujillo who is now an officer for the Tesuque Pueblo Tribal Police, did not return a message for comment left at work.
Sanchez and Mascareñas also failed to return calls for comment.