Man Accused Of Spitting In Face Of & Assaulting Fairfield Police Officer

FAIRFIELD, CT — A 41-year-old Bridgeport man is facing charges including assaulting a police officer, after authorities said the suspect spit in the face of an officer during an altercation this month at a Fairfield bar.

Ricardo Larrea-Navia was arrested on charges of misuse of 911 (three counts), one count of second-degree breach of peace, and assault on a police officer (also three counts), following the Jan. 16 incident at Bill's Crossroads Bar on Tunxis Hill Road.

The incident began at about 12:25 a.m., after a staff member at the bar reported that a customer "became verbally aggressive, got in her face, and began yelling," according to Fairfield Police Sgt. Jenna Wellington.

"Other patrons corroborated this account and said they escorted the individual out of the bar," Wellington told Patch.

Officers spoke with Larrea-Navia outside the bar, and at his request, American Medical Response and the Fairfield Fire Department responded to evaluate him.

"During that interaction, Larrea-Navia became agitated with first responders and repeatedly called 911 while yelling at personnel on scene," Wellington said. "He refused to comply with officers’ instructions and continued to act in a disruptive manner."

Larrea-Navia then grabbed at officers and other first responders and spit in the eye of a police officer, at which point he was placed under arrest, according to Wellington.

"During his arrest and transport to Fairfield Police Headquarters, he continued to resist and strike at officers," Wellington said. "Due to his behavior, officers were unable to process him for several hours."

Larrea-Navia was initially held in lieu of a $50,000 cash bond, but it was reduced at court to a promise to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on Feb. 2.