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WEEKLY DWI REPORT

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Marlinda Sarah Jake

June 7 6:42 pm

Aggravated DWI (3rd offense)

Dep. Cecil Sanders saw a GMC truck matching the description of a vehicle that was swerving all over the road on State Hwy. 371 in Thoreau. He saw a woman get into the maroon extended cab pickup and drive it forward, then turn around and park on the east side of a Red Mesa gas station. He drove over to do a wellness check and made contact with Marlinda Sarah Jake, the driver.

As Jake exited the vehicle, Sanders noticed an open “Four Loko” gold can on the console.  Sanders smelled alcohol. Her eyes appeared blood shot and her speech seemed slurred.  She told the deputy she was drinking, but not that much.

Sanders explained the field sobriety tests and Jake said she understood. She lost count on the first test and did not maintain her balance on the second test.

Sanders placed Jake under arrest for Driving While Intoxicated and placed double locked handcuffs on her. She was transported to the MCSO and given a breathalyzer. The results were 0.24/0.24.

Inside the vehicle he found four more cans of “Four Loko” and an open 18 pack of Steel Reserve with seven full cans inside.

The passenger, Myron Johnson, was also intoxicated and was taken to the Gallup Detox Center.  The vehicle was towed to the A&A Towing yard.

Tilton Melikan

June 4 5:59 pm

DUI (1st offense)

Dep.  Frank Villa Jr. conducted a traffic stop after he saw a gray Dodge Ram traveling southbound on State Hwy. 602 with sun screening material extending down more than five inches from the top of its windshield.

The truck had a temporary license plate of NM-19T181622. When approached, the passenger, identified as Derrick Melikan, said the window does not roll down, and exited the vehicle.

Villa told driver Tilton Melikan why he was being stopped.  Upon request for his driver’s license, registration and insurance, he said he had no license and then gave his name and birthdate.

When he returned to the vehicle to find out about the registration and insurance, the deputy said he could smell alcohol and asked the driver if he had been drinking.  Tilton Melikan said he had four 12-ounce cans of “Natural Light” that morning, the last one around 4:30 am.  He said he had started drinking in the afternoon.

Tilton Melikan refused to take the field sobriety tests.  He said he did not want to take them because he believed he would fail.  Villa placed him under arrest for DWI.

After asking Derrick if he, too, had been drinking, Villa was told he had not. However, Derrick said that Tilton told him he had had a six-pack of “Budlight” cans.  Tilton said that number might be accurate.

Tilton Melikan was taken to the MCSO. He gave two breath samples of .14 and.13.  Villa then took him to the jail where he was booked.

Raymond Lee

May 11, 1:50 pm

Aggravated DUI

Dep. Caleb Kleeberger was dispatched to Allsups at 1801 S. Second St. in response to a call about a drunk driver in a Chevrolet pickup at pump four.  The reporting female was with the passenger from the truck.

Kleeberger stopped the vehicle when it pulled away from the pump and approached South Second Street, a busy roadway.  The driver identified himself as Raymond Lee.

Kleeberger observed a strong smell of alcohol and that Lee had glassy, watery eyes.  When asked, Lee denied consuming any alcoholic beverages. He said he had a head injury from a long time ago.

Lee agreed to take the field sobriety tests. He said he could not perform the Walk and Turn test because of a problem with his feet.  He also could not perform the One Leg Stand test.  An alternate test, which included counting while touching thumb to finger, was introduced. But Lee was unable to perform it correctly.

Kleeberger determined Lee was too impaired to operate a vehicle.  Lee’s wife, Tina Lee, was inside the vehicle. She said her husband had been swerving all over the road and almost ran into other vehicles.

Raymond Lee was arrested for DUI.  He gave consent for a breath test.  After a 20 minute deprivation period, his breath was tested at 2:35 pm.  He tested at 0.29g/210L and 0.28g/210L.  Metro Dispatch advised that Lee had priors and was on the felony list.  He was booked into McKinley County Adult Detention Center.

Cody Brown

May 7, 6:41 pm

Aggravated DUI (2nd offense, refusal)

Narcotics agents conducted a traffic stop at the Allsups at 112 Arnold St. When Agt. L. Desiderio called for a marked patrol unit, Gallup Patrolman Joe Roanhorse responded at 6:45 pm. Agt. C. Wommack had detained the driver of a red 2006 Pontiac G6 on the ground, after seeing the vehicle bump into a metal parking barrier.  After a passenger from the car entered the business, he observed the male driver drink from a “Four Loko” (alcoholic beverage) can.

The passenger reentered the car and the two left.  Desiderio followed as the car turned south on Arnold St. then right on Aztec Ave.  Desiderio said the car ran a stop sign, turned right on Bradley St. and again onto Hwy. 66.  Then, he said, the driver, later identified as Cody Brown, hit the curb.  The Pontiac pulled back into Allsups and Desiderio conducted the traffic stop.

When asked if he had been drinking, Brown said he had two cans of Budweiser about an hour before. He agreed to do the Standard Field Sobriety Tests. When he stumbled on the Walk and Turn Test, he was determined to be impaired and was placed under arrest for DUI. He spoke over Ofc. Roanhorse during the Implied Consent Advisory and refused the breath test.

Ofc. Brandon Salazar and agents found three empty miniature shots of “Yukon Jack” in the vehicle Brown was driving and three empty cans of “Four Loko” there, as well.  The passenger, Bryan Sam, was intoxicated.  Sam was taken to Gallup Detox.  The car was locked and secured.

Roanhorse learned that Brown had a prior DUI and his driver’s license was suspended and revoked. He was booked into the McKinley County Adult Detention Center for aggravated DUI, driving while license is suspended/revoked and open container.


Juliana Teller

May 1, 8:08 pm

DWI (1st)

Gallup Patrolman Dominic Molina was dispatched to 216 Verdi Drive where Officer Richard Rangel had a black Chevrolet Malibu pulled over on a traffic stop. The vehicle had struck a curb and parked on a sidewalk.  The driver, later identified as Juliana Teller, 36, of Gallup, was seen picking up a bottle of Peppermint Schnapps and drinking from it. She then yelled, “I don’t give a f__k,” and drove off.

The car was finally stopped at 216 Verdi. Teller reportedly smelled of liquor, had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.  She agreed to take the Standard Field Sobriety Tests. However, she threw up, and then refused to take a portable breath test. Officers Molina and Rangel walked her to a police unit and she began to mumble. They found liquor in Teller’s vehicle.

After being put into the unit, Teller began kicking the door from the inside and when Molina tried to take her to the McKinley County Adult Detention Center, she became verbally disorderly and then refused to get out of the car.  Molina walked her to the gate of the jail. But she was uncooperative once she got inside.

She was booked into jail for aggravated DWI, an open container, and roadways laned for traffic.