BCSO sergeant faces excessive force charges
Incident involved a pursuit by deputies
A Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office sergeant will likely face charges over a March incident in which he was accused of using excessive force.
The Sheriff’s Office in a news release Wednesday evening said that District Attorney Raúl Torrez has told officials that he will be filing a criminal complaint against Sgt. David Priemazon charging him with aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm.
The release says that after a pursuit with deputies, Priemazon used excessive force against the suspect.
A deputy at the scene of the March 19 incident reported the case up the chain of command the following day, and two days later Sheriff Manuel Gonzales ordered an internal affairs investigation.
“During the internal affairs investigation, the elements of the criminal charges became apparent. The internal affairs investigation was suspended, pending a criminal investigation,” the release says.
The case was then turned over to New Mexico State Police, which submitted the case to the District Attorney’s Office.
“Our office takes these matters extremely seriously. Prosecutors are working closely with BCSO to gather details and have just launched our investigation,” said Michael Patrick, a spokesman for Torrez. “It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
Sheriff’s officials confirmed Priemazon is accused of battering Christopher Lucero, 34.
Lucero was arrested March 19 after getting into a chase with sheriff’s deputies, who used a pursuit intervention technique, causing the vehicle Lucero was driving to flip three times, according to a criminal complaint.
Lucero fled and fell in the street, where deputies used “softening techniques” to get him in handcuffs, according to the complaint.
When Lucero made his first appearance, he appeared before the judge in a neck brace and appeared
badly injured, according to news reports.
Lucero has filed a claim against the county, which the Bernalillo County Commission discussed Tuesday during a closed meeting about the Lucero claim, and other lawsuits and tort claims, according to the meeting agenda.
Priemazon has been with the Sheriff’s Office since January 2003. He remains on administrative leave, according to the news release.
“I expect every law enforcement officer I commission to remain neutral in the performance of their duties, because we are not above the law,” Gonzales said in a news release. “I have a history of holding my staff accountable at all levels and any violations of law will not be tolerated. I support the reporting deputy for having the courage and integrity to come forward. I am thankful this incident was brought to my attention and I am confident this individual will be held accountable.”