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WEEKLY DWI REPORT

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The legal limit is .08

Gualena Descheny

Dec. 10, 3:54 am

Aggravated DWI

As McKinley County Sheriff’s Department Office Deputy Roxanne King was clearing debris from a fallen traffic signal someone had hit, she noticed a car without headlights on, traveling through the dark, south on U.S. 491.

The driver pulled over for the deputy, but remained on her cellphone, and would not make eye contact with her. The deputy asked her for her driver’s license, and told her to put her phone down. She also advised the driver that her headlights were not turned on. The driver argued that the headlights were on, but, one did not work. King stated that neither headlight was turned on.

King smelled alcohol, and observed cans of Mike’s Hard Lemonade behind the driver seat, on the floor board. A passenger told the deputy that they had just left a trailer park, and at that point Descheny looked at the officer. It was then that King noticed she had bloodshot, watery eyes.

Descheny then struggled to find her driver’s license, and spoke with slurred speech. They advised the officer that they had just visited their cousin, and had knocked back a few beers, before intending to head over to Denny’s. King tested the obviously drunken driver, per proper protocol, and she failed all sobriety tests. She blew .21/.20 during the breath tests.

Edmund Ben James

Dec. 9, 7:22 pm

DWI

McKinley County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Christopher Rangel was patrolling U.S. 491 southbound, at the 6 mile marker, when he came upon an SUV, passing without using a turn signal. After passing, the driver swerved over the white line to the right, according to the report. The deputy notified Metro Dispatch, and proceeded to switch on his lights and sirens, in order to pull the swerving SUV over.

The driver pulled over after a half mile chase, and he came to a stop, James, 34 jumped out with a cell phone to his ear. He took one look at the deputy before dashing across U.S. 491 southbound, over the median, and into the dirt field on the other side of the northbound lanes.

The deputy immediately ran after him, reportedly yelling at him to stop, the entire time. The drunken sprinter was no match for the deputy, who tackled him, and placed him in handcuffs, before leading him back to the patrol car.

The suspect had difficulty standing up, and refused a field sobriety tests. The deputy explained that he was under arrest for resisting and evading. Once at the Sheriff’s office, he complied with a breath test and blew .21/.22.

Nathan A Holman

Dec. 8, 12:03 am

Aggravated DWI

Gallup Police Department Officer Adrian Quetawki arrived on the scene of a traffic stop in progress, at the request of GPD Officer Dominic Molina.

Holman, 31, had been drinking and racing his vehicle on Aztec Avenue and N.M. 602.

Holman was booked and blew .21/.19 during the breath tests.

Perry Nolan Bitsilly

Dec. 3, 9:56 PM

Aggravated DWI

The Gallup Police Department DWI Task Force was called to the scene of a traffic stop in progress, by Officer Chavo Chischilly and Andrew Thayer, at the Gallup Airport,  2111 W. Highway 66.

Bitsilly, 27, had been stopped for driving without headlights on. He admitted to drinking before driving, and several empty bottles of vodka were found behind the driver’s seat. The officers reported that he was very polite and cooperative during the investigation. He blew a .23/.25 during the breath tests.

Carol J. Tso

Mar. 3, 10:07 pm

Aggravated DWI

The Gallup Police Department was called to the location of a muscle car stuck in the mud off of Churchrock Street, between Indian Hills and Rehoboth.

GPD Officer Harland Soseeah approached the vehicle, which still had its motor running. Tso, 47, explained, she was only trying to make a u-turn when she just “ran off the road”.

The officer noted the strong odor of alcohol on her breath, and questioned her about how much she had to drink. Tso replied, “Why are you asking me? I drank, but not enough to get drunk,” the report stated. Tso had difficulty locating her driver’s license when asked about it. She agreed to take the field sobriety tests, but requested her jacket from the vehicle, as she was cold. The officer retrieved it for her, and allowed her to put it on before beginning the field sobriety test.

After being given her jacket, she refused to cooperate with the officer’s tests, and began arguing with him contentiously, according to the report. After refusing to listen to instructions for the test, she was placed into the back of the squad car. She refused to submit to a breath test, and was booked for aggravated DWI, careless driving, evidence of insurance, and open container.

Garron Burns

Dec. 4, 1:12 PM

2nd DWI

Gallup Police Department Officer Ransom James was on patrol when he received a call to investigate a vehicle collision at South Patton Drive in Gallup. As he joined a fellow officer already attending, GPD Officer Joe Roanhorse, he was told witnesses saw the suspect, Garron Burns, 28, flee the scene. Roanhorse had managed to pursue and detain him in his squad car.

James walked over to interrogate the suspect, while Roanhorse examined the scene. James noted Burns intoxicated state. He was having trouble standing up, and refused medical attention.

Burns yelled at the officer after being asked for his side of the story. According to the report, he exclaimed in frustration, “What do you think, I got in a crash! I’ve been driving, I been drinking! I been drinking all day, I had a fifth of Fireball. This is my second DWI!” James observed empty bottles of hard alcohol in the suspect’s vehicle.

The suspect refused to submit to testing, exclaiming “F**k that you know I was driving drunk!” He was placed under arrest. After he listened to the Implied Consent Act, he relented and agreed to testing. He was transported to the Gallup Indian Medical Center to check for injuries from the accident, and for testing.

Cheryl Ashley

Dec. 10, 11:13 PM

DWI

A child, 13, called Metro Dispatch, reporting her mother, Ashley, 36, for drunk driving. The child later stated that her mother had met a friend at a hotel, and had consumed several alcoholic beverages, before driving to Walmart, on 1650 W. Maloney Ave. The fearful child reached out to the police after her mother ran several red lights, and was speeding.

According to the report, after entering Walmart, the mother drunkenly kept bumping into aisles. When the pair left the store, presumably, the child was able to give a detailed description of the vehicle and license plate, before explaining that they were now leaving for Ramah, and she would have to hang up. GPD Officer Chaz Troncosco responded to the call.

Ashley was observed by the officer stopping at an intersection, with no stop light or stop sign. He stopped Ashley in front of Father Dunston Park after following it to ascertain the status of the driver and a license plate match for the vehicle. As he approached the vehicle, he observed the young girl in the front seat who had made the call.

After Ashley failed the officer’s inebriation tests, he spoke with the child, before assigning other officers to watch her, until she could be picked up, and taken to safety by her grandmother. The officer placed Ashley under arrest, and also cited her for abandonment and abuse of a child, expired registration, and for stopping in the middle of the street.

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