A Pueblo police officer who was originally charged with felony assault in district court is instead facing misdemeanor charges in county court in connection to a fight at a high school graduation party on Quincy Street in Pueblo last year. .
The case stems from a July 25, 2020, party for the high school graduation of Jimenez wife. Jimenez told investigators of two attacks, the first of which involved Villanueva. In total, Jimenez told investigators five or six individuals had been involved with the assaults.
The case against Villanueva was filed in the 10th Judicial District Court of Colorado on Nov. 17, but Judge Thomas Flesher ruled that he did not find sufficient evidence that Villanueva had committed the worst of Jimenez injuries, and so there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Villanueva for a felony charge.
On July 25, 2020, a party was held on Quincy Street in Pueblo, and the next day, a criminal investigation began.
The investigation was to see if a Pueblo police officer was involved in a serious assault that night at the party, and if he was involved, how much of the victim s bodily injury could be from his actions.
Bennie Andrew Villanueva, 32, of Pueblo, was charged with second-degree assault in November a Class 4 felony in the bodily injury of Rigoberto Jimenez, also of Pueblo.
The case was filed in the 10th District Court of Colorado, but if a hearing scheduled for 11:15 a.m. Monday, April 19, does not go in favor of the prosecution, it could be bound to the county court, as Judge Thomas Flesher expressed concerns that there was not enough evidence to justify a felony assault charge.
After 6-year battle, Pueblo County approves construction of new jail
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) Pueblo County Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution to pay for a new jail in Pueblo County, and an extension to Joe Martinez Boulevard, providing another route from Pueblo West to Pueblo.
The total project cost is approximately $115 million. Commissioner Garrison Ortiz says the jail will cost approximately $90 million while the 4-lane Joe Martinez Boulevard extension is estimated to cost around $20-$25 million.
The new jail, built on the northwest part of the county, will include around 670 beds, an on-site infirmary, and will be environmentally friendly. Ortiz says the jail will be one of the first in the country to achieve net-zero emissions.
During the past weekend, Pueblo County Sheriff s deputies responded to a dozen off-highway vehicle complaints ranging across the county from Avondale to Colorado City.
With warmer weather and sunny skies, off-highway vehicle enthusiasts are once again ramping up for their sports season. But with a sharp rise in complaints regarding motorists riding on private property, the Pueblo County Sheriff s Office has issued an advisory on what is legal and illegal for off-highway vehicle riders.
An off-highway vehicle is any vehicle designed to be used off of a public roadway, such as four-wheelers, dirt bikes and go-carts. Unless specifically modified to be compliant with Colorado state law, using these vehicles on a public road is illegal.
Off-roading? The Pueblo sheriff s office wants you to know the law before heading out msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.