Off-duty Las Animas County Lieutenant caught on camera fighting teenager in Trinidad

LAS ANIMAS COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO)-- A Las Animas County Lieutenant finds himself on the other side of the law again–this time for getting caught on video fighting a teen in Trinidad. 

The incident is sparking renewed outrage over Lieutenant Henry Trujillo's violent past, including an ongoing internal investigation after he repeatedly tased a man during a routine traffic stop last year. 

That incident is at the center of a lawsuit filed earlier this year. 

Now, the teenage boy’s father is explaining what led up to the altercation. 

Last month, 15-year-old David Romero Jr. was riding his motorcycle on the Santa Fe Trail Drive in Trinidad on June 18.

After allegedly attempting to pass the off-duty law enforcement officer over a double yellow line, an argument ensued and quickly turned into a heated altercation. 

That’s when off-duty Lieutenant Henry Trujillo stopped Romero in his sedan and a fight ensued. Trujillo is heard on video using multiple swear words directed at Romero, including calling him a "stupid mother****er."

As a result of the altercation, both Romero and Trujillo were cited for disorderly conduct tied to fighting in public, both are petty offenses in Colorado. Romero was also cited for carless driving. 

The boy’s father stated his son has had no previous run-in with the law and that his son was defending himself from an off-duty cop, whom he stated, should never be behaving in this way. 

"The people are supposed to be able to have trust and stuff like that in order to protect and uphold the law, not to abuse their power or think they're above the law. I was very upset at how it happened and the way it was handled. And, I mean, that's not the way a police officer should have to handle a situation,” Romero’s father, David, said.

According to a police report, Trujillo told officers on the scene that the teen started the fight after he was tailgating his car. 

At this time the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office has no comment on this newly released evidence or Trujillo’s criminal charges. Trujillo's attorney, Joe Koncilja, issued this statement regarding the altercation:

"My view of the video seems to indicate that the young man took aggressive action against my client and initiated the physical altercation. It clearly does not show someone who was intimidated or cowed by an adult. In fact, I see the video as pretty convincing evidence that my client was retreating from an aggressive large teenager who had little respect for adults. As always these videos rarely show the full story. My take, disrespected teen driving dangerously and underage won't take criticism and became physically assaultive when confronted. "

Joe Koncilja, Attorney for Lt. Henry Trujillo

13 Investigates discovered that picking up disorderly conduct charges are nothing new for the embattled law enforcement officer.

According to his criminal record, Trujillo has been charged and convicted of multiple crimes involving violence and weapons.

In 1997 and 1998, Trujillo was convicted of disorderly conduct with a weapon and misdemeanor harassment. In 2006, he pled guilty to disorderly conduct, and three years later pled guilty to harassment and disorderly conduct again.

Trujillo has also been subject to restraining orders in five separate cases from 2003 to 2020, including two for alleged domestic abuse. One of those protection orders barred him from possessing firearms, according to the Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act. Yet he remained employed with the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office.

Trujillo worked three different stints for the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office. According to employment records, he left in 2002 to join the Trinidad Police Department, where he was forced to resign for multiple misconduct violations.

Trujillo was able to join the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office again in 2005. Four years later he was forced to resign in 2009 for criminal charges he pled guilty to that were later deferred, according to his employment records.

Despite his forced resignations and criminal history, Trujillo was hired back for two more stints with the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office.