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WEEKLY DWI REPORT

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Charmaine Wilson

Dec. 21, 12:56 pm

Aggravated DWI (3rd offense)

McKinley County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Lorenzo Guerrero said he was dispatched to State Road 122 in connection with a report of a drunk driver.

When he arrived at the scene, he met with another deputy, Jonathan Todachine, and saw a red Ford truck.

Todachine said he first saw the vehicle parked on the side of County Road 61. When he approached the vehicle, he noticed the driver, later identified as Wilson, 32, of Thoreau, passed out behind the wheel.

He said he tried several times to wake her up without any success. Finally, she woke up, looked up at him and proceeded to drive away. He said he followed her as she drove down the road.

Wilson finally stopped near a gas station. Todachine said he then approached the driver for a second time and noticed the door was locked; Wilson had a confused look on her face.

After a couple attempts, he said he got her to unlock the door and exit the vehicle.

Guerrero said when he arrived, Wilson was seated in the back seat of a police unit. He said when he approached her, he could smell the odor of liquor on her breath. When asked, she admitted to having had a few drinks before driving.

Wilson refused to take the standard field sobriety tests.

She was asked to get out of the police vehicle. She refused. Guerrero said it took him, Todachine and the tow truck driver to get her out of the vehicle.

Wilson then sat down on the ground and Guerrero said it took several attempts to get her into his unit. She was taken to the Sheriff’s Office, where she refused to take a breath-alcohol test.

Because of her difficulty walking, she was taken to a local hospital. After getting a medical clearance, Wilson was transported to the county jail and booked for aggravated DWI as well as resisting or evading police.

 

Shandiin Benally

Dec. 15, 12:11 am

Aggravated DWI

Gallup Police Officer Christopher Dawes said he was dispatched in connection with a hit and run. The vehicle had left the scene but was being followed.

Dawes was able to stop the vehicle in the area of Second Street and Aztec Avenue.

He said when he began to speak with Benally, 21, of Albuquerque, he could smell the odor of liquor on her breath. She agreed to take field sobriety tests and failed, so she was arrested for her first DWI.

She later agreed to take the breath-alcohol and blew samples of .22 and .21.

 

Marissa Watchman

Dec. 15, 1:26 am

Aggravated DWI

GPD Officer Nicole Diswood said she was dispatched to look for a black Avalanche that was reported as having problems staying in its lane.

As she searched for the vehicle, Diswood said she got behind another vehicle that was having problems staying in its lane, so she made a traffic stop. The driver at first ignored the sirens and lights but finally stopped in the middle of the road.

When she went up and talked to Watchman, Diswood reportedly noticed signs that Watchman was intoxicated, so she asked her to take field sobriety tests. Watchman agreed and failed. She was arrested.

Diswood reported that Watchman refused to walk back to the unit to be transported to jail; Diswood had to call for another unit to assist her in getting Watchman to the unit.

Watchman was later given a breath-alcohol test and blew a sample of .21.

 

Kyle Harding

Dec. 14, 5:53 am

DWI

MCSO Deputy Frank Villa Jr. said he was traveling on State Highway 118 when he noticed an eastbound vehicle stop in the middle of the roadway.

When he came up behind it, Villa said the car began to move forward and it went twice over the center line.

He conducted a traffic stop and talked to Harding, 20, of Flagstaff, Ariz.

Harding agreed to take the field sobriety tests but then said it was too cold so his case was listed as a refusal. He also refused to take a breath test.

 

Freddie Yazzie

Dec. 15, 2:43 pm

Aggravated DWI (3rd offense)

MCSO Deputy Johnson Lee said he was traveling north on U.S. Hwy 491, when he saw a car in the median. The car flashed its high beams at him and he stopped.

The driver told Lee another car forced him off the road just a couple of minutes before. He said the vehicle was headed north toward Gallup. Lee found the vehicle near the Maloney Avenue intersection.

Yazzie, 50, of Gallup, reportedly emanated a strong odor of intoxicating liquor.

Yazzie told Lee he had only one drink about two hours before and agreed to do field sobriety tests, which he failed. He was arrested for DWI.

He later agreed to breath-alcohol testing and posted two samples of .22.

 

Wendell Yazzie

Dec. 8, 12:22 am

Aggravated DWI

GPD Patrolman Richard Rangel said he was on routine patrol when he noticed a vehicle leaving the parking lot of the Dollar General on South Second Street.

He said he called in the license-plate number and was told the registration and insurance had expired, so he conducted a traffic stop.

When he went up to the driver’s side, he reportedly noticed three people in the vehicle; one held a 30-pack of beer in his lap. He said when he spoke to the driver, Yazzie, 32, of Fort Wingate, Ariz., Yazzie showed signs of intoxication.

Yazzie admitted he had a little to drink, and when he agreed to perform field sobriety tests, he failed and was arrested.

He was later given breath-alcohol tests and blew two samples of .22.

 

Bryce Thompson

Dec. 8, 4:20 pm

Aggravated DWI

GPD Patrolman Justin Benally said he was informed of a possible drunk driver after a woman called in about a car she said was swerving all over the road. The caller said she was following the vehicle.

As Benally headed west on U.S. Highway 66, he was told the suspected drunk driver had been in an accident near McDonald’s Westside.

When Benally arrived at the site, he saw a man, Thompson, standing next to his vehicle. He was reportedly swaying.

The woman who called in the report said she saw Thompson’s vehicle hit the bumper of another car. She said the other vehicle did not stop.

Benally reportedly spoke to Thompson, 31, of Church Rock. He refused to take a field sobriety test but agreed to a breath alcohol test. He blew samples of .24 and .26.