By Ryan Boetel
Albuquerque Journal
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A 28-year-old man being held on suspicion of killing a police officer racked up another felony charge for an alleged assault against a jail guard last week.
Andrew Romero was charged Thursday with assault by a prisoner after he allegedly tried to head butt a guard at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center, according to a criminal complaint.
Romero is accused of fatally shooting Rio Rancho Police officer Gregg “Nigel” Benner in May and has been jailed since his arrest hours after the killing.
On June 29, Romero was in a cage in the recreation yard at the jail when he refused to be handcuffed by guards, according to the complaint. The guards used chemical spray twice and a Taser in order to handcuff Romero.
Another guard took Romero to the infirmary where the chemical spray was going to be washed from his face. Romero then tried to head butt the guard, the complaint reads.
Guards then used a Taser on Romero for the third time.
The complaint states that Romero declined to make a written statement about the incident, but he did repeatedly apologize to the guard he tried to strike.
Romero is facing a possible sentence of life without the possibility of parole for the fatal shooting of Benner.
Romero was allegedly on a crime spree during which he committed several armed robberies throughout the Albuquerque metro area before he shot Benner during a traffic stop in southeast Rio Rancho on May 25, according to police.
Tabitha Littles, a woman with Romero at the time of the shooting, is also facing charges in connection with the case.