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WEEKLY DWI REPORT

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Darlene Begay

June 25, 7:36 pm

DWI (Second)

A report of a car swerving on the roadway sent McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Frank Villa, Jr. to State Highway 566 in Church Rock, N.M. A caller told Metro Dispatch that a car with five people inside had pulled into Deadhorse Speedway and stopped in the parking lot.

A second call from a store employee said a woman named Darlene Begay was driving and was drunk.

The information matched and Villa followed the car. After it swerved and corrected, the Nissan Sentra came to a stop in the middle of Challenger Road.

Villa could see clearly into the vehicle where the driver climbed over the center console and into the back seat where there were already three men.

Villa approached and ordered the driver to exit from the back door, but the door would not open.

He gave the front seat passenger commands to remove the keys and hand them over.  That done, he told the driver, identified as Darlene Begay, 32, of Church Rock, N.M., to climb over the center console and exit through the driver side door.

When Begay opened the door, Villa could see an open 18-pack of beer on the floor board.

Villa pulled Begay out and told her she was being detained. He placed her in his unit and handcuffed her. She smelled of alcohol and admitted to having two cans of beer.

Begay refused to be tested. She was taken to the McKinley County Sheriff’s office to submit breath samples, but she did not give any.

She had an active bench warrant.

After receiving a medical clearance she was taken to jail and booked for DWI second offense, roadways laned for traffic and driving with a revoked license.

 

Leo Vernon Valencia

June 20, 7:48 pm

Aggravated DWI (Second)

Leo Vernon Valencia, 45, of Gallup, was stopped on State Highway 118 on June 20 by McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy III Paul Davis Jr. in reference to a call that he had driven onto a property and was causing damage with a gray sport utility vehicle.

When Davis arrived, Valencia was standing next to the SUV in front of a business. When he spotted Davis, he got inside the vehicle. When the brake lights lit up on the back of the SUV, Davis moved his unit behind it to prevent Valencia from leaving.

Davis made contact with Valencia and saw that he had blood shot eyes and smelled of alcohol.

Valencia agreed to take the standard field sobriety tests. However, he failed them.

Davis informed Valencia that he was placing him under arrest for operating the SUV while under the influence of alcohol.

Davis noticed that the SUV had collided with a Pepsi Cola Company motor vehicle. Damage was estimated at over $1,000.

Deputy Frank Villa, Jr. arrived at the scene and completed a crash report.

Valencia took a breath test which resulted in .21 and .22. He was taken to the McKinley Adult Detention Center for booking. He was refused entry.

After a medical clearance was requested, Valencia was taken to the Gallup Detox Center, which would not allow him to be booked.

Davis said he would summons Valencia to court for the charges of aggravated DWI second offense, duty upon striking an unattended vehicle and driving on a revoked license.

Valencia was released on his own recognizance by a judge.

 

Isralie Jones

June 20, 12:03 pm

Aggravated DWI (Second)

McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Terence Willie and Deputy Ivan Tsethlikai met about a quarter mile south of Chino Loop after a black Saturn Ion was seen under the control of someone who appeared to be intoxicated.

Willie talked to the man who identified himself as Izzy Jones. He admitted to drinking, but did not want to get medically evaluated and began to say degrading things about himself and then later threatening Willie and his family.

Several attempts to learn his identity, including contacting his sister, finally led to a name. The driver was identified as Isralie Jones, 27, of Rock Springs, N.M.

Jones was unable to complete the standard field sobriety tests successfully, and at one point, refused to continue. He resisted commands to put his hands behind his back, but was handcuffed and placed under arrest.

Jones gave the names of friends and family members he said worked for the Gallup Police.

While seated in the patrol car, he was unwilling to give information about himself.

He was booked on a bench warrant, aggravated driving under the influence, assault upon a peace officer, resisting, evidence of registration, evidence of insurance, driving on a suspended license, concealing identity, open container and careless driving.