Dead black bear leads to strange arrest in Espanola

A BLACK BEAR IN ESPANOLA TOUCHES OFF AN ODD SERIES OF EVENTS LEADING TO AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER BEING ARRESTED ACCUSED OF BATTERING AN UNDERAGE GIRL OUR GADI SCHWARTZ IS LIVE IN OUR NORTHERN BUREAU WITH THE DETAILS IN A VERY BIZARRE CASE OUT OF RIO ARRIBA COUNTY 4 MAIN CHARACTERS IN THIS STORY- A BIG BLACK BEAR AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER- AND HIS TWO UNSUSPECTING GIRLFRIENDS ONE OF THEM- A MINOR HERE ARE PICTURES OF AN ALMOST 400 POUND BLACK BEAR HIGH IN A TREE GAME AND FISH SHOT IT WITH A TRANQUILIZER DART — AND IT ENDED UP FALLING AND DYING 48 YEAR OLD EVARISTO LOPEZ AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER ON SCENE ASKED IF HE COULD KEEP ITS CARCASS THE DEPUTY CHIEF SAYS AT THAT POINT EVERYTHING WAS PERFECTLY LEGAL game and fish can actually issue a permit to the person that may be involved in the bears death or finds it or which ever and in this case it was one of our animal control officers who assisted in the transport of the bear LATER THAT EVENING LOPEZ LOADED HIS DEAD BLACK BEAR INTO HIS PICKUP- ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS- IT WAS WHILE HE WAS DRIVING AROUND TOWN WITH THE BEAR HANGING OUT THE BACK OF HIS FLAT BED THAT HIS 17 YEAR OLD GIRLFRIEND STARTED TEXTING LOPEZ LOPEZ ALLEGEDLY TOLD HIS GIRLFRIEND HE WAS ON OFFICIAL BEAR DUTY UNAWARE THAT SHE WAS FOLLOWING HIS PICKUP WITH THE BEAR STICKING OUT SHE ENDED UP CONFRONTING HIM WHEN HE MADE A STOP AT ANOTHER GIRLFRIEND S HOUSE OFF BELLA S LANE WITNESSES SAY LOPEZ LAUGHED AND TOLD THE TWO WOMEN QUOTE I HAVE BEEN PLAYING BOTH OF YOU NOW ITS OUT LOPEZ ALSO SHOVED THE 17 YEAR OLD HARD ENOUGH FOR ESPANOLA POLICE TO ARREST HIM FOR BATTERY AND WHEN THEY QUESTIONED HIM ABOUT HIS YOUNGER GIRLFRIEND S AGE He did know in his own mind the actual age of the female and did know that she was 17 years old ESPANOLA POLICE SAY THEY HAVE PUT LOPEZ ON LEAVE WHILE THEY CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE HE HAS BONDED OUT OF JAIL FOR THE COUNT OF BATTERY- BUT DETECTIVES SAY THEY PLAN TO FILING STATUTORY RAPE CHARGES SOON