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WEEKLY DWI REPORT

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Ryan Morgan

Sept. 1, 12:15 am

4th DWI, Refusal

McKinley County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Tammy Houghtaling reported that she was dispatched to about the 3-mile marker on U.S. Highway 491, near M&R Trading, in reference to a vehicle accident in which one of the drivers was suspected of intoxication.

When she arrived at the scene, Houghtaling was told the driver had been seen walking toward the Navajo Shopping Center on Chino Loop. She was able to locate him and took him into custody.

The man, identified as Ryan Morgan, 36, of Standing Rock, said he did not know what was going on where the accident occurred. He admitted he was in the car and took off walking when the accident happened, but claimed he was not driving it at the time.

Morgan was asked if he was wearing a seatbelt, to which he replied yes. He was then asked how he was wearing it, and he said he clipped it on his right hip. He said he had been hitchhiking and was picked up near King Dragon.

By this time, deputies had learned that the vehicle Morgan had been in was traveling west on Juniper Ridge and failed to yield when it went into Hwy 491, crashing into another car.

Police were also able to find another occupant who had been in the vehicle.

Although the car was registered in this man’s name, he said he was a bad driver and thus had not been driving. Houghtaling reported that the man showed signs of intoxication.

When she spoke again with Morgan, he said he had been drinking and had been on his way home when the accident occurred.

Witnesses from the other vehicle said they saw a man who was dressed like Morgan get out of the vehicle from the driver’s side.

Since it was raining, Morgan was taken back to the Sheriff’s Office for field sobriety tests, but once they arrived, he refused to take them, saying he had done nothing wrong.

Morgan also refused to take a breath alcohol test, so a search warrant was obtained to take a blood alcohol sample.

According to the report, Morgan had three other DWI convictions. He was also cited for failure to yield and leaving the scene of an accident.

 

Orlando Benally

Sept. 1, 9:01 pm

5th DWI

MCSO Sgt. Tammy Houghtaling said she received a warning from Zuni Dispatch about a drunk man on a motorcycle.

She found the motorcycle driving north at the 26-mile marker of State Highway 602. According to the report, Houghtaling noticed the driver had difficulty staying in his lane.

She conducted a traffic stop and Orlando Benally, 42, of Gallup, almost lost control of his cycle.

As Houghtaling approached the motorcycle, she discovered that the registration had expired in 2017, and Benally showed signs of intoxication.

He agreed to take a field sobriety test and failed. Benally then agreed to take a portable breath test and posted a sample of .117.

According to the report, when asked who could come and pick up his cycle, Benally said he knew no one and it could be left on the side of the road. He was told this was not allowed and agreed to have it towed.

At this point, Houghtaling reported that Benally became angry. He told her she should have allowed him to go on his way since he was almost home and she had better things to do.

Houghtaling reportedly responded that one of her jobs was to check on calls like this.

She took Benally back to the Sheriff’s Office and asked him to take a breath alcohol test, which he refused, saying he already did one by the roadside. When Benally was told Houghtaling would then have to get a search warrant for a blood test, he agreed and posted two samples of .08.

Benanlly had four other arrests for DWI.

 

Manuel Chavez

Sept. 1, 3:49 am

DWI

MCSO Deputy James Garylle reported that he was on regular patrol near the South China Loop by Gamerco, when he noticed a vehicle without a light on its registration plate. He conducted a traffic stop because the driver appeared to be driving as if he was lost.

Manuel Chavez, 23, of Gallup, showed signs of intoxication, so he was asked to take a field sobriety test.

According to the report, he agreed and failed, so he was arrested for DWI.

Later, he agreed to do a breath alcohol test and posted samples of  .13 and .12.

 

Krystal Cachini

Aug. 31, 4:17 pm

Aggravated DWI

MCSO Deputy Salina Brown said she was on DWI patrol, when she saw a vehicle traveling in the opposite lane of State Highway 602 at a high rate of speed.

She turned around as conducted a traffic stop at about the 15-mile marker.

Brown spoke with the driver, Krystal Cachini, 25, of Zuni, and asked her why she was in a hurry.

Cachini said they wanted to beat traffic. She showed signs of intoxication and admitted she had been drinking about three hours earlier.

She agreed to take a field sobriety test, and when she failed, Cachini was arrested for DWI.

She was also charged with speeding and, because there were children in her vehicle, she was charged for child abuse, too.

She later agreed to take a breath alcohol test and posted samples of .18 and .17.

 

Rodger Lee Jr.

Aug. 31, 3:15 pm

2nd DWI, Aggravated

MCSO Deputy Eric Jim said he was traveling on U.S. Highway 491, when he was notified of a red Ford Focus that had pulled out of the parking lot of Sagebrush Liquors on State Highway 264 and almost ran head-on into another vehicle.

Jim reported that he located the vehicle as it turned into Navajo Estates, and he conducted a traffic stop.

When he approached the driver of the vehicle, Rodger Lee Jr., 39, of Iyanbito, Jim noticed signs of intoxication.

Lee admitted to drinking two beers and agreed to take a field sobriety test, but he appeared to fall asleep in the middle of it.

Lee was arrested for DWI and transported back to the Sheriff’s Office, where he agreed to take a breath alcohol test.

According to the report, when Jim turned his back, Lee placed his head against the wall and seemed to pass out. He was transported to jail.

The passengers in Lee’s vehicle were taken to detox.