Jerome Eskeets
Aug. 4, 12:24 pm
Aggravated DWI
McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Terence Willie said he was on routine patrol when he was alerted to a possible drunk driver who was weaving all over the road north of Gallup on U.S. Highway 491.
He went to T&R Market and asked the woman who called in to identify the driver. She said it was the nearby man urinating outside of his vehicle. Another witness told Begay the man almost hit him.
By this time, Jerome Eskeets, 45, of Chinle, Ariz., had sat down on the ground in front of Willie’s police unit and had seemingly gone to sleep. Willie said he had to wake him up.
After he did, he asked Eskeets how much he had to drink that day and Eskeets replied a beer and half a pint. When asked a pint of what, he said just “four shots of pint.”
Eskeets agreed to take the standard field sobriety tests but was not able to follow directions, so he was arrested for DWI. He agreed to take a breath alcohol test and posted two samples of .29.
The McKinley County Adult Detention Center refused to detain him in case he had the COVID-19 virus. He said he was homeless so Willie took him to Gallup Indian Medical Center. Eskeets will be summoned to court for DWI, having no driver’s license, no registration and no insurance.
Rudy Martinez
Aug. 2, 9:21 pm
Aggravated DWI
McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Frank Villa Jr. said he was dispatched to the Flying J Truck Stop about 13 miles east of Gallup in reference to a drunk driver.
As he headed for the truck stop, he was told the driver had left the truck stop and was headed to the interstate. As Villa was preparing to go off the interstate, he saw the suspect car entering the interstate traveling westbound.
Villa got off the eastbound lane and turned around and headed west. He caught up with the car shortly afterward, and noticed it was only going 45 miles per hour and was swerving on the road, so he did a traffic stop.
As he approached the vehicle he said he could smell alcohol coming from inside the car. When Rudy Martinez, 51, of Iyanbito, N.M. was asked to exit the vehicle, he lost his balance. Villa said he had to go to his aid to keep him from going backward into the roadway.
When asked if he had been drinking, Martinez said he had a miniature of Jack Daniels early in the morning because he had a hangover.
Martinez told Villa that he was on drugs. He said he was smoking meth and the last time he used was three days ago.
He agreed at first to take the standard field sobriety tests, but then changed his mind. He did agree to take a breath alcohol test and posted samples of .19 and .18. He was then transported to the county jail where clerks refused to admit him because of fears he might have the COVID-19 virus.
Villa said he then took him to a local hospital where he was given a medical clearance, which enabled him to finally be booked in the county jail.
Marlene Gorman
Aug. 1, 3:06 pm
Aggravated DWI
McKinley County Sheriff’s Sgt. Tammy Houghtaling said her office received a call about a car parked at Sagebrush Liquors parking lot. She was told the driver appeared to be intoxicated. She was also told the business was closed for the day.
When Houghtaling got to the site, she met Marlene Gorman, 46, of Nazlini, Ariz. Gorman said she came to the business to drop someone off. She said she was having car problems and was supposed to return the vehicle back to the car dealership in Gallup. She said the vehicle overheated.
Houghtaling said she saw no liquid on the ground to indicate the vehicle had overheated. But she smelled alcohol on Gorman’s breath, even through Gorman’s mask. She also noticed Gorman had slurred speech and bloodshot eyes. Houghtaling also noticed an open container of liquor on the center console.
She told Houghtaling that her friend had her driver’s license. Then she said the license was lost. Houghtaling said it turned out Gorman had a license from Arizona.
Gorman refused to take the standard field sobriety tests, saying she would fail. She also refused to take a breath alcohol test and was transported to the county jail and booked on aggravated driving while intoxicated.
Arlis Nelson
July 31, 8:52 pm
Aggravated DWI
McKinley County Sheriff’s Sgt. Garylle James was dispatched to the 47 mile marker on Highway 122 north of Interstate 40 in reference to a vehicle crash.
When James arrived at the site, he found a silver vehicle parked off the roadway with its driver’s side tire burst. James made contact with the driver, Arlis Nelson, 35, of Albuquerque, who said he got stuck on his way from Albuquerque to Farmington.
As he spoke, James noted the suspect had slurred speech. Nelson agreed to take the standard field sobriety tests, but failed and was arrested.
Nelson refused medical attention at the scene, and he refused multiple times to give a breath sample. He was transported to McKinley County Adult Detention Center and booked for DWI and driving with a suspended license. He also had an outstanding bench warrant out of Bernalillo County.
Nelson was transferred out to Bernalillo County on a $1,000 cash/surety bond.
Hyrum Browning
July 30, 3:05 pm
DWI
McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Frank Villa Jr. said he was dispatched to Crystal Avenue in Gamerco to investigate a car wreck.
When he got to the site, he found Browning, 26, of Winslow, Ariz., talking to the driver of another vehicle. He showed signs of being intoxicated. He also needed assistance walking and as he talked, he became very emotional saying he messed up.
Browning admitted to drinking and driving but when questioned, he could not say when he took his last drink. He did admit to drinking a pint of Patron.
He refused to take the standard field sobriety tests and was arrested for DWI. He also refused to take a breath alcohol test.
Another other driver at the site said he saw Browning hit a concrete barrier and then told him he was all right. He also told the witness to call police because he was willing to accept the consequences.
Villa said he took Browning to the county jail where clerks refused to let him stay for unspecified reasons. Villa said he then took him to the Gallup Detox Center where he was accepted. Browning will be summoned to court.
