A former Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Deputy filed a lawsuit against the City of Española and Taos County on Wednesday, claiming that authorities put his life in danger.
In the lawsuit, former officer William Fresquez claims that last year, police and deputies put his life in danger when they raided the Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Office, according to KOB 4.
"I think when he saw it, it blew his mind because he'd been a police officer 23 years and you never expect that you're going to be placed in fear of your life by a fellow police officer," Fresquez's attorney, Richard Rosenstock, told KOB 4.
The raid, which took place in May 2020, saw Española Police, assisted by Taos County Sheriff's deputies, arrest Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan outside the Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Office. During the event, Rosenstock said that Fresquez was called back to the sheriff's office where he was met by SWAT pointing rifles in his face, an act resulting in him suffering "a severe aggravation of pre-existing emotional issues" that led to him seeking out "counseling for quite a while", according to KOB 4.
Through the lawsuit, Fresquez seeks damages for medical bills, pain, and suffering from the events that transpired.