Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: Juan Rojo, 38, was arrested and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility after passing out in a residential front yard during the middle of the day and refusing an officer’s commands.
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – Juan Rojo, 38, was arrested July 9 and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility on charges of criminal trespass in the first degree and resisting arrest after passing out in a residential front yard and refusing an officer’s commands.
An officer was dispatched at about 2 p.m. to a residence on 1st Avenue regarding an unwanted subject passed out in the caller’s front yard.
Upon arrival, the officer located Rojo, who failed to respond to the officer’s presence until a sternum rub was applied. Rojo, who showed obvious signs of intoxication, eventually sat up and acknowledged the officer but refused to give his last name.
When asked how much alcohol Rojo had to drink, he allegedly replied, “Not enough for you to hold me here.”
Rojo then began to attempt to leave the area but the officer informed him that he was being detained until his identity could be ascertained. At that point, Rojo resisted the officer’s attempts to handcuff him and grabbed onto a wooden fence. During the standoff, the officer informed Rojo that he would deploy his TASER if he didn’t comply and ended up tasing Rojo in his chest.
The officer then took Rojo to the ground, but the suspect still refused to be handcuffed. Another contact TASER strike was then applied to his back and Rojo complied and was handcuffed, according to the police report.
Rojo was then placed into the officer’s patrol vehicle and was driven to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center to have the TASER probes removed. The report states Rojo continued to be verbally combative to both the officer and hospital staff and still refused to give his last name.
While at the hospital, Rojo finally gave the officer his last name and it was confirmed by using a previous booking photo. The officer then learned Rojo had two outstanding warrants for his arrest; one from Clifton regarding false reporting and one from the Arizona Department of Corrections for absconding from his release supervision.
After being medically cleared, Rojo was transported to the jail and booked for criminal trespass in the first degree and resisting arrest.
