Legal limit is .08
Bennie R. Tennison
Sept. 22, 6 pm
8th DWI
McKinley County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ivan Tsethlikai Jr. initiated a traffic stop on a brown GMC pickup heading southbound on N.M. 692 at the 17-mile marker. The vehicle had been reported for nearly colliding with other vehicles at El Sabino Package Liquors, 1863 N.M. 602.
Tennison, 76, nearly rear-ended another vehicle when he came to an abrupt stop. He got out of the car and began walking toward Tsethlikai’s vehicle. Tsethlikai yelled and commanded him to get back in his car.
Tennison smelled of alcohol and had red, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. He seemed nervous and claimed he hadn’t had much to drink.
He failed field sobriety tests and blew .18 during the portable breath test. The passenger had an outstanding bench warrant in Cibola County.
Tennison blew .14 and .13 during the breath test at MCSO. He began to complain of chest pains, and said he’d had a heart attack in June. He was taken to a local hospital and upon clearance, was transported to jail and booked for his eighth DWI.
Alvago T. Shirley
Sept. 14, 9:11 pm
5th DWI
GPD Officer Steven Peshlakai was dispatched to 915 W. Aztec Ave. in reference to a vehicle that had crashed into the building.
At the scene, Peshlakai found a white Chevy with heavy front-end damage at the corner of the wall. A bystander said he’d heard a loud bang and felt the building shake. He went outside, saw the car against the wall, and found a male in the driver’s seat.
Shirley, 26, had blood on his shirt. He smelled of alcohol, had red, watery eyes, and slurred speech. The vehicle smelled of marijuana. Shirley couldn’t stand without assistance. Medstar arrived to check on him, and he was transported to a local hospital.
When Peshlakai arrived at the hospital, Shirley was incoherent. A blood draw was ordered. When released from the hospital, Shirley was taken to jail for his fifth DWI.
Leslie Wilson Jr.
Sept. 11, 12:19 am
DWI
GPD Officer Andrew Thayer was dispatched to Arnold Street and West Highway 66 in reference to a vehicle driving without lights. Wilson, 22, was pulled over on Hwy. 66, near Arnold Street. He smelled of alcohol, had red, watery eyes, and was unsteady on his feet.
He initially gave the wrong name, birthday, and social security number. He failed field sobriety tests and gave his real name when he was arrested. He blew .20 on the portable breath test and .10 and .11 at the station.
This was his third DWI. He also had a warrant out for his arrest.
Laurisa J. Clarke
Sept. 11, 4:20 pm
DWI
On patrol near 1512 E. Hwy. 66, GPD Officer Nicola Martinez noticed a traffic infringement by a gray car headed east in the right lane; it moved into the left lane, crossed the center line, and swerved back into the right lane before pulling into the Duke City parking lot at 1510 E. Hwy. 66. A young woman exited the vehicle and walked into the business.
Martinez approached the driver’s side of the car, and Clarke, 22, opened the door. Clarke was surprised by Martinez’s presence, and said she was waiting on her niece. There was a partially consumed bottle of hard liquor in the car. Her eyes were bloodshot and her speech was slurred.
Clarke admitted to drinking, but said she didn’t swerve. She failed field sobriety tests. At the jail, Clarke told Martinez if she were a “cool cop,” she’d let her go. Martinez blew .309 on the breath test.
Edward L. Haswood
Aug. 26, 8:45 pm
DWI
GPD Officer Andrea Tsosie was at a DWI checkpoint at Third Street and Maxwell Avenue, when a blue passenger car arrived. When the man rolled his window down, Tsosie could smell alcohol. The driver could not find his license, insurance, or registration.
Haswood, 37, initially said it was the passengers who had been drinking — not him, but eventually he admitted to drinking four cans of beer. He had bloodshot, watery eyes, and slurred speech. He failed field sobriety tests and blew .13 twice during the breath tests.
Nathan Lucas Nelson
Aug. 12, 3:42 pm
DWI
Nearing the westbound off-ramp of Interstate 40 at the 16-mile marker, GPD Officer Mark Spencer noticed a car parked on the shoulder ahead of him. The car, which was located at mile-marker 16.9, was nearly touching the guardrail and matched the description of a vehicle that had been called in for a possible drunk driver.
Nelson, 27, was passed out and drooling. The car was in park but running. Spencer put stop sticks in front of the vehicle’s tires lest Nelson try to drive off when awoken. Supporting officers arrived and aided Spencer in turning off the vehicle, waking Nelson up, and walking him to safety on the other side of the guardrail.
Medstar cleared him, but Nelson agreed to go to the hospital. When cleared from the hospital, he refused field sobriety and breath tests.
