Richmond County jail officials said Wednesday they have added another felony charge against Reinaldo J. Rivera after an altercation in which the serial murder suspect was subdued by force and pepper spray.
Officers tacked a charge of felony obstruction on to Mr. Rivera's long list of murder, rape and assault charges. The officers were not hurt, but Mr. Rivera's left elbow was injured.
Mr. Rivera, 38, has been getting more aggressive with jailers in the past two weeks, sheriff's officials said. It might be a result of his refusal to take antidepressants that help calm him down, sheriff's Capt. Gene Johnson said.
"We met with medical this morning and said they needed to evaluate what they give him, because, apparently, it's not working," the captain said.
Two sheriff's deputies went to Mr. Rivera's fifth-floor cell at 4 p.m. Tuesday after hearing him repeatedly kicking the cell door, Capt. Johnson said. After asking him to sit down, they opened the cell.
Mr. Rivera, who is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs at least 220 pounds, fought the deputies, police said.
"He came out swinging, and they had to defend themselves physically," Capt. Johnson said.
Deputy Corey Taylor and Sgt. Robert West hit the inmate with a baton, leaving Mr. Rivera with an abrasion and a swollen left elbow.
The pepper spray used on Mr. Rivera's eyes required him to go to a sink in another area of the jail, where he apologized.
"He said he didn't know what happened. He (said he) just nutted up," Deputy Taylor said.
Mr. Rivera's attorney, Peter Johnson, met with Mr. Rivera and the jail guards Wednesday, at which time Mr. Rivera again apologized and agreed to behave.
"It really was a misunderstanding," the attorney said. "I think there will be no further trouble."
In April, Mr. Rivera told a judge he wanted to plead guilty to all charges filed in the rape and slayings of four young women: Marni Glista, Tabatha L. Bosdell, Melissa Dingess and Tiffaney Wilson.
Superior Court Judge Albert M. Pickett accepted the request of prosecutors to have Mr. Rivera examined by mental health experts. Attorneys are preparing written arguments on whether Mr. Rivera can enter a guilty plea.
Reach Greg Rickabaugh at (706) 828-3851 or greg.rickabaugh@augustachronicle.com.
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