Joan Begay
March 21, 11:24 pm
DWI (Fourth)
Gallup Police Officer Richard Rangel III said he was on routine patrol when he noticed a car with one of the front headlights off.
He conducted a traffic stop and went up to the driver, Joan Begay, 41, of Gamerco. He said he could smell the odor of intoxicating liquor coming from inside the vehicle. He said Begay also exhibited signs she was intoxicated.
He asked her how much she had to drink that night and she replied that she had four or five beers. She refused to take the standard field sobriety tests, but agreed to do a breath alcohol test, posting samples of .07 and .08.
Dispatch advised Rangel that Begay had three warrants for her arrest, all for DWI offenses.
Begay posted a bond of $5,975.
Vernell Harvey
March 20, 10:53 pm
Aggravated DWI
McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Blackgoat was dispatched to Fort Wingate after a woman called to express concern that her daughter was driving while intoxicated.
As he got off I-40 at the Fort Wingate exit, he observed a car matching the description given by the woman. Instead of her daughter, Blackgoat found himself talking to Vernell Harvey, 34, who has homes listed in Tohatchi, N.M. and Window Rock, Ariz.
Blackgoat said he asked Harvey where he was going and Harvey replied he was just driving around. Harvey also said he had nothing to drink that night. Harvey was asked to get out of his car and when he did, he was asked again if he had had anything to drink and he again said “no.”
Harvey agreed to take the standard field sobriety tests and as he did, Blackgoat said he could see that his eyes were watery and bloodshot. He did poorly on the tests and at one point said he couldn’t take the test and advised Blackgoat to arrest him, which Blackgoat eventually did.
Harvey later agreed to take a breath alcohol test and posted two samples of .18.
Harvey is in custody on a $1,500 cash or surety bond.
Aaron Him
March 20, 10:52 pm
DWI
Gallup Police Officer Domenic Molina was dispatched to the area of UNM-Gallup campus because of reports of a car running vehicles off the road.
Molina said he found the car on Boardman Drive and saw the driver pass another car in the no passing zone. He conducted a traffic stop and talked to Aaron Him, 32, of Zuni.
He said as he talked to Him, he could smell the odor of marijuana and liquor coming from inside the vehicle. He said he could also see a small bag containing a green leafy substance in plain sight.
Molina asked Him if he had been drinking and Him admitted to having had two beers and half a shot of liquor. Molina said he slurred his words and had bloodshot eyes.
Him agreed to take the standard field sobriety tests and failed. He also agreed to take a portable breath test and posted a sample of .10. Later he agreed to take a breath test at the police station and posted two samples of .09.
Besides DWI, he was also charged with possession of marijuana.
Him was released on his own recognizance by a judge.
Taylor Demarchi-Ramsey
March 18, 00:35 am
DWI
Gallup Police Officer Domenic Molina said he was at the intersection of Boardman Drive and Highway 66 when he noticed a car run a red light.
He conducted a traffic stop and went to talk to Taylor Demarchi-Ramsey, 19, of Gallup, who showed signs of being intoxicated.
He said he asked her if she had been drinking and she admitted to having had two shots of liquor. When he asked her again a couple of minutes later, she said three shots.
She agreed to take the standard field sobriety tests and failed. Later she agreed to take a breath alcohol test and posted samples of .14 and .15.
Ramsey was released on her own recognizance by a judge.
Michael P. Little
March 13, 8:43 pm
DWI (Second)
Gallup Police Officer Richard Rangel III said he was on regular patrol when he observed a car with no headlights on.
He conducted a traffic stop and went up to talk to Michael Little, 41, of Farmington. As he talked to Little, he said he could smell alcohol from inside the car.
Little said he had just come from the Coal Street Pub and had had only one drink. Little said the alcoholic smell came from the fact he had just washed his hands with sanitizer.
But Rangel said he noticed Little was slurring his words and had bloodshot eyes, so he asked him if he would agree to take the standard field sobriety tests. Little agreed, but failed the tests and was arrested for DWI.
Little then agreed to take a breath alcohol test and posted two samples of .15.
Little was released on his own recognizance by a judge.
