Danny Romero Jr. faces aggravated DWI, other charges.

 

Albuquerque native and former boxing champion Danny Romero Jr. told police officers he had been "partying with Bill" (Gov. Bill Richardson) before being arrested late last night for aggravated drunken driving, according to a supplemental report to a criminal complaint. But the Governor's Office strongly denied the claim Romero allegedly made to police, according to the governor's communications director Pahl Shipley. (UPDATED at 11:55 a.m.)

"It's absolutely not true," Shipley told Journal reporter Leslie Linthicum during a phone interview. "The governor returned from Washington late last night. He got in at about 7:30. He had a private dinner alone with the first lady. There was no event. (Romero) was not there."

Richardson hasn't seen Romero in more than a year, Shipley said.

Romero was found in the vicinity of Bandelier and Vecchio NW, standing outside his 1999 Cadillac throwing up in the road at 11:22 p.m. Monday, according to the complaint.

When officers asked Romero why he was throwing up he told them, "I'm not going to lie. I've had a little too much to drink."

Romero told officers he had had two beers and a glass of wine earlier that night at a party at the Governor's Mansion in Santa Fe and was on his way to his fiance's house, according to the supplemental report.

Romero told police the party had started at 7 p.m. and he left Santa Fe around 9:40 p.m. and had driven straight to Albuquerque, according to the report.

Officers observed Romero had bloodshot, watery eyes, and they smelled a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, the complaint said.

Following field sobriety tests and a check with the Motor Vehicles Division that found Romero was allegedly driving on an administratively suspended registration, Romero was taken into custody, according to the complaint.

While being driven to the Valley Substation, Romero allegedly asked the arresting officers to contact the Governor's Office, Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White and "Capt. Paiz" telling the officers "they would take care of this," the report said.

"You fuckers are wasting your time; there are people more drunk than me out there," APD Officer B. White said Romero told him on the way to the substation, according to the supplemental report.

A breath-alcohol test resulted in more than the 0.16 aggravated (dwi) legal limit, and a further check with the MVD found a prior DWI conviction, the complaint said.

Romero's car was seized pending a forfeiture hearing, and he was booked into the Bernalillo County Detention Center on suspicion of aggravated DWI (2nd offense), driving without registration, and driving without proof of insurance, according to the complaint.

9:55am -- Danny Romero Jr. Arrested: Former boxing champion suspected of  DWI.

Albuquerque's "Kid Dynamite," former champion boxer Danny Romero Jr., was arrested just north of the Paradise Hills Golf Course a little after midnight this morning on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, KOAT-TV is reporting on its Web site, thenewmexicochannel.com.

Romero, 31, was pulled over at Bandelier and Vecchio NW north of the golf course, and officers said they could smell alcohol, the station is reporting.

Romero, who was alone in his car, was held at the scene for investigation, then taken into custody and his car was impounded, KOAT reported.

Romero grew up influenced by street gangs in Albuquerque and later became a born-again Christian -- much like his great rival and Albuquerque-born fighter Johnny Tapia.

He had his first professional fight in Phoenix in 1992, went on to win the IBF world flyweight championship in 1995 and the super flyweight division championship in 1996. He retired in May 2003 after winning the IBA's super bantamweight title,  with a record of 44 wins, five losses and one draw, with 37 wins coming by knockout.

Your Name:

Your Email Address:

Rate this article:
Poor Great

Comment:

BOLD

"QUOTE"

UNDERLINE