Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: Richard Nathaniel Bencomo, 19, was placed into a spit mask to prevent him from spitting on officers as he was booked into jail on charges of disorderly conduct/domestic violence, and aggravated assault on a police officer.
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – Richard Nathaniel Bencomo, 19, was arrested and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility on Monday, Nov. 23, on charges of disorderly conduct/domestic violence, and aggravated assault on a police officer. Bencomo was previously cited and released for underage with alcohol in body.
According to Safford Police reports, an officer performed a traffic stop on a vehicle at about 12:12 a.m. after noticing a silver sedan fail to completely stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Relation Street and 7th Avenue. As the officer was about to perform the stop, the vehicle pulled in front of a residence at the southwest corner of Relation Street and 9th Avenue, and a pedestrian, later identified as Bencomo, got into the car.
Upon contact, the officer detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage and Bencomo was “confrontational and belligerent”, according to the report.
Bencomo allegedly admitted to drinking alcohol and was given a citation for underage alcohol in body and was released to a family member to be transported home.
As Bencomo was leaving, the officer reported he could hear him trying to provoke a fight with a family member. The officer then decided to follow the vehicle and witnessed Bencomo exit the car when it stopped at the intersection of 10th Avenue and 16th Street.
The officer reported seeing Bencomo throw something at the car and that he was yelling and swearing. The officer then arrested Bencomo for disorderly conduct/domestic violence, but Bencomo ran from the officer.
Additional officers arrived in the area and physically took Bencomo to the ground and placed him under arrest. During the arrest, Bencomo allegedly spat directly into one of the officer’s face, adding a charge of aggravated assault on a police officer.
He was then transported to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center for medical clearance and continued to be disruptive, according to the report.
After being released from the hospital, he was transported to jail and was allegedly yelling and banging his head on the cage during the trip.
Once at the jail, he was placed into a spit mask to prevent him from spitting on officers as he allegedly threatened to kill everyone in the room, including jail medical staff.
Bencomo registered a .267 percent alcohol/breath concentration on a portable breath test and was then booked into jail on the above-listed charges.
