FEATURED DWI
Tommy Sam
Sept. 19, 9:01 am
DWI (Fourth)
Routine patrols turned into a drunk driver bust for Gallup Patrolman Cameron Long.
Long was dispatched to a residence on Zia Court in reference to a welfare check on a maroon car parked in front of the house with two male passengers who started yelling and making a disturbance.
After being told the suspect vehicle was parked at the intersection of Toltec Drive and Chaco Drive, Long arrived at the scene and found the vehicle parked facing west. One of the men was lying on the ground next to the passenger’s side door. The other man, Tommy Sam, 50, of Mentmore, was standing on the sidewalk.
Sam told Long he had left the vehicle to check on his friend, who was lying on the ground next to the car. He said he had been driving his friends earlier, but later said he was not driving the car. Long asked Sam if he had been drinking, and while Sam denied it at first, he eventually admitted to drinking an unspecified amount and type of alcohol prior to driving.
Long found an empty bottle of Importers in the car, which also smelled of alcohol. Long noted Sam had bloodshot eyes, smelled of liquor, and swayed as he stood in place. Sam refused to take the standard field sobriety tests.
Another officer spoke to Long at the scene and told him a witness described to him what had happened. After the car pulled up to the spot where Long found it, the second man rolled out of the vehicle and Sam got out of the vehicle to check on him. The officer also said Sam told him he had been driving.
Based on the witness reports and evidence, Long placed Sam under arrest. As he did a pat down search, Long found the keys to the vehicle and searched it on the National Crime Information Center and confirmed it was registered to Sam.
Metro Dispatch advised Long that Sam had three prior DWIs.
Sam was transported to Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services for a blood draw. After refusing to cooperate at first, Sam eventually agreed to the draw. When it was finished, he was transported to McKinley County Adult Detention Center and booked for DWI, consuming or possessing alcohol in a vehicle, driving with a suspended license, and parking in a prohibited zone.
Sam was released by Magistrate Judge Virginia Yazzie after posting an unsecured bond.
Other DWIs
Dalton Levi Reed
Sept. 11, 3:23 pm
