Bernalillo Police officer at the center of KRQE Investigation arrested
BERNALILLO, N.M. (KRQE) – A Bernalillo Police officer is in hot water once again. Officer Jeramie Nevarez was at the center of KRQE Investigation, captured on lapel video after he stopped a family at gunpoint as they were rushing to try and save their dog’s life.
Now, KRQE News 13 has learned that the officer was recently arrested on battery charges. Court records show Nevarez was arrested in Sandoval County last week, booked on misdemeanor battery charges by Rio Rancho Police.
Nevarez was at the center of a KRQE Investigates report on how he handled a traffic stop with William Albrecht and his family in July. The family’s dog had just been hit by a car and Albrecht was rushing to try and save her life.
Nevarez pulled the family’s vehicle over on 550, conducting a felony stop with guns drawn. He held the family at gunpoint, including Albrecht’s 16-year-old son.
“Please! My neighbor hit my dog, that’s my son and my wife,” Albrecht pleaded with Nevarez during the July traffic stop. “Please sir, my dog’s about to die!” Albrecht repeated.
Nevarez’s own lapel video shows him ignoring the family’s concerns. “Sir, my dog’s bleeding out of its mouth!” Albrecht said. Nevarez replied, “I don’t give a f***!”
Minutes after backup arrived, another officer convinced Nevarez to let the family go. “All responding units, go ahead and downgrade,” another officer called over the radio.
The Albrecht’s Labradoodle, Stella, didn’t make it.
Bernalillo Police officials wouldn’t tell KRQE if Nevarez was disciplined after that traffic stop. However, the Mayor of the Town of Bernalillo did confirm to News 13 that Nevarez is currently on administrative leave pending an investigation after his most recent arrest.
Court records show Rio Rancho police responded to a domestic violence call involving Nevarez on November 15. The officer’s report states surveillance footage and interviews gave him enough evidence to charge Nevarez with battery against a household member.
Then days after his arrest, two separate women filed for restraining orders against Nevarez citing domestic abuse, claiming he’s “...unstable mentally” and “negligent to his anger.” Both women claim Nevarez has a violent temper and made threats.
Nevarez’s anger is something the Albrecht family claims they saw firsthand. “No one came at him, no one threatened him,” William Albrecht told KRQE. “And again, like, what did he see that scared him so bad? I mean, this guy was angry.”
The family saw just how angry, watching Nevarez’s lapel video from their traffic stop. Nevarez is heard on lapel video calling Albrecht a “f******* *** ****” after the family drove away.
Nevarez maintained in his report that he did nothing wrong, and even tried blaming Albrecht. “Well yeah, so I did a felony stop on him because he wasn’t stopping then he stopped,” Nevarez told another officer on scene.
“Once we found out his dog was injured, and he was trying to get to a veterinarian, we tried to ID him and let him go, but he was being a d*** h***,” Nevarez added. The second officer replied, “Okay.”
The ACLU is now representing the Albrecht family and intends to sue over that traffic stop. “I do think it was an excessive use of force and unnecessary use of force,” explained Maria Martinez Sanchez, Legal Director, ACLU New Mexico. “And this is why people are fearful of the police.”
“That guy shouldn’t be a cop,” Albrecht said. “It’s absolutely ridiculous.”
Records show Nevarez spent two nights in jail as the battery case against him is pending. Whether he’ll continue working as a cop with Bernalillo Police is unclear.
Nevarez is still on administrative leave with the Town of Bernalillo. As part of Nevarez’s conditions of release for the battery case, he is not allowed to possess any firearms. He has a pre-trial hearing for that case scheduled for next month.
