ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Rio Arriba County Sheriff Tommy Rodella and his son, (click here) Tommy Rodella Jr., pleaded not guilty Friday morning in federal court to charges of conspiracy to violate civil rights, deprivation of rights, brandishing a firearm and falsifying police documents, according to CBS affiliate KQRE.
U.S. Attorney Damon Martinez announced the sheriff and his son were arrested by FBI agents at their Espanola homes early Friday for their role in a March 11 confrontation that left a driver injured.
Authorities wouldn't detail the injuries.
The sheriff and his son, the indictment said, engaged "in a high-speed pursuit and unreasonable seizure" of the driver identified only as M.T. The sheriff was not in uniform when he jumped out of his Jeep SUV armed with a silver revolver, court papers said....
...Rodella's home was raided as authorities investigated the March arrest of 26-year-old Michael Tafoya, a driver Rodella had detained, Rodella's then spokesman Jake Arnold said at the time.
Tafoya was arrested on charges of aggravated assault of a peace officer and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on March 11, but prosecutors dismissed the case two weeks later....
