Chula Vista Police officer charged with underage battery

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – A Chula Vista Police Department officer was charged Tuesday with four misdemeanor battery counts stemming from an off-duty dispute with his girlfriend’s 16-year-old son.

The allegations against patrolman Roman Granados stem from a fight he allegedly had with the teenager during a graduation ceremony at Chula Vista Hills Elementary School, CVPD Capt. Lon Turner said.

Granados was attending the June 5 event with his girlfriend, one of whose children was taking part in the ceremony, the captain said.

During the function, the alleged victim confronted his mother about a prior disagreement, and Granados intervened. A scuffle broke out, at which point the officer allegedly battered the teen. Witnesses described Granados as the sole aggressor, Turner said.

By the time officers arrived at the school to investigate the disturbance, Granados had left. Police contacted and questioned him at his home that evening.

The teen initially declined medical treatment but went to a medical facility hours later for evaluation of complaints of pain, Turner said.

The CVPD Family Protection Unit immediately opened a criminal investigation, at which point Granados was reassigned to desk duty pending the outcome of the case.

Detectives forwarded their findings to the county District Attorney’s Office, which filed the charges this morning.

Granados, who has been with the South Bay police agency for 14 years, is scheduled to make an initial court appearance on Aug. 25.