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Friday, Mar 29th

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Gallup man jailed on DWI charges

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A Gallup man remained behind bars March 28 at the McKinley County Adult Detention Center on charges stemming from a DWI traffic stop in Indian Hills, according to a police report.

Nathan Bia, 41, was taken into custody after Gallup police officer Harland Soseeah conducted a traffic stop at 12:27 pm. Bia was behind the wheel of a grey mini-van that was swerving through a construction zone near Vandenbosch Parkway. After hitting a curb and getting stuck for a while, the report states, Bia drove into the Gilbert Ortega’s Shell gas station and went inside and then walked into the Indian Hills neighborhood area. Prior to Gallup police arriving, Bia was observed by a Community Service Aide.

The gas station is a far cry from Bia’s listed driver’s license address which is 3150 W. Highway 66, as listed on the official police report.

Bia, an employee at the Microtel Inn, 3270 W. Historic Highway 66, got out of the van under the observance of the CSA and started walking around Indian Hills, apparently in an attempt to throw off the cops, the police report suggests. Bia was driving so bad that he hit some construction cones in the street, there because construction workers were doing some street work in the area.

“I asked Nathan if he wanted to do some field sobriety tests,” Soseeah stated in the police report. “Nathan stated that he wanted to do the tests.”

Bia failed the two field sobriety tests administered by Soseeah. He was charged with aggravated DWI, careless driving, having an open container of liquor in a vehicle, no proof of insurance, marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. The marijuana, concealed in two white containers, was found as Soseeah was looking for proof of insurance.

The March 28 incident isn’t Bia’s most recent brush with the law and a DWI situation. Bia was arrested about six months ago near Crownpoint in the same vehicle and for the same offense.

By Bernie Dotson

Sun Correspondent