A Lake Havasu man accused of assaulting a police officer during a December arrest will receive treatment through the city's Veterans Court in lieu of a felony charge.
The incident began Dec. 30 when police were called to a home in the 3000 block of Boatswain Drive for a suspected domestic violence incident. The occupants of the home allowed police entry, and officers confronted Daniel N. Romero, 35.
Police said Romero refused to leave the residence to speak with officers. The suspect continued to yell for police to leave his home while waving his arms within a foot of the officers' faces, police said. Police attempted to detain Romero at the scene due to his hostile behavior, but Romero was separated from the officers. Officers tried to calm Romero down at the time, but Romero kicked an approaching officer before standing up, according to the report.
Romero then allegedly ran behind the kitchen table and swung a bar stool at the officers. Officers eventually subdued Romero with an electronic stun device and took him into custody at the scene.
Romero was ultimately charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, assault, disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property. Those charges were dismissed by the Mohave County prosecutor on Feb. 15, and Romero was enrolled in the Lake Havasu City Veterans Treatment Court program, according to court records.
The program has been serving local veterans since 2013, providing opportunities for veterans involved in the criminal justice system to receive substance abuse and mental health counseling. Offenders participate in the program for an average of nine to 18 months, depending on the needs of the particular veteran, and are expected to prevent the possibility of future crimes. According to the City of Lake Havasu website, the recidivism rate among participants is about 8.7%.
