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WEEKLY DWI REPORT

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Derrick Benally

March 31, 4:40 pm

DWI, Aggravated

McKinley County Sheriff’s Dep. Eric Jim said he was dispatched to State Highway 264 west of Yah-ta-hey in connection with a report of a Chevy truck that was said to be weaving on the highway.

Jim said he found the vehicle headed east on Highway 264 at about the 15 mile marker, followed it and observed it crossing over to the right shoulder and conducted a traffic stop.

When he approached the driver, Benally, he said he saw signs of him being intoxicated and asked where he was coming from. Benally said he was going home from work.

After admitting he had one drink before driving, Benally, 31, of Brimhall, agreed to do field sobriety tests, which he failed. At that point, he was arrested and taken to the sheriff’s office where he was given a breath alcohol test. He posted two samples of .24.

Christian Kaye

March 30, 6 pm

DWI

MCSO Dep. Brandon Salazar said he was dispatched to the Gas Max on U.S. Highway 491 north of Gallup in reference to numerous reports of a vehicle dragging someone.

As he got to the area, he received an updated report that the vehicle was now parked at the Family Dollar Store in Yah-ta-hey. Salazar said he proceeded to that address and found the vehicle.

As he walked up to it, he said he observed the driver and passenger bending over as if to make it appear no one was in the vehicle. As he neared the passenger side of the vehicle, he heard it rev up and saw it leaving the parking lot.

He began pursuing the vehicle as it headed west of State Highway 264 and saw it come to a stop about the 15-mile marker. At that point both the driver and the passenger got out of the vehicle and began running north.

Salazar said he kept his eyes on the driver and was able to catch up with him. He told him to hold up his hands while another deputy who arrived on the scene handcuffed him.

The driver was identified as Christian Kaye, 21, of Gallup. When he was stopped, he was on tribal land but since Salazar is commissioned as a tribal officer, he was able to continue with the arrest.

He said Kaye agreed to take a field sobriety test, which he failed. He was then taken to the sheriff’s office where he agreed to take a breath alcohol test, posting two samples of .10.

Salazar said Kaye was then turned over to a tribal police officer, who transported him to the Crownpoint Tribal Jail where he was booked on DWI and fleeing charges.

Jonathan Shelly

March 30, 2:27 pm

DWI

MCSO Dep. J. Bowman was dispatched to Thoreau because of a report of a possible drunk driver. He found the vehicle leaving the Giant gas station and followed it.

After observing that the vehicle had a plate registration that expired in 2015, he conducted a traffic stop and noticed that there were three occupants in the vehicle. He also saw an unopened bottle of vodka in the vehicle.

When he began speaking to Shelly, the driver, he noticed that he had blood shot eyes and smelled of alcohol. When Bowman mentioned Shelly’s blood shot eyes, Shelly, 35, of Continental Divide, said he had a medical condition which caused him to have red eyes but he couldn’t remember what it was called.

He then refused to take a field sobriety test and was arrested for DWI. When he refused to take the breath alcohol test, he told Bowman that he was “just now getting over my other DWI I had in Santa Fe.”

Shelly was taken to the county jail and booked on DWI charges while the other two occupants were taken to the NCI Detox Center.

Bennie Smith

March 24, 6:49 pm

DWI, Aggravated

Metro Dispatch received a phone call from a woman saying she had been given a ride and dropped off at the Del taco on U.S. Highway 491. She told the dispatcher the man was obviously intoxicated.

GPD Officer Andrew Thayer was dispatched to the scene and found the suspect vehicle parked at Del Taco. When he approached the vehicle, he found the engine running and the driver unconscious behind the wheel.

Thayer said he had a hard time waking the driver, later identified as Bennie Smith, 63, of Church Rock. When Smith was finally awakened, Thayer said he started to reach in and turn off the car’s engine, when Smith grabbed his arm and yelled at him, refusing to let him turn off the engine.

By that time, another officer had arrived at the restaurant and he opened the passenger side door and turned off the engine. When Smith was removed from the vehicle, he needed assistance in walking so no field sobriety test was performed, said Thayer, who said Smith then refused to cooperate in being placed in his unit so officers had to assist him into the vehicle.

He was then transported to police headquarters for a breath alcohol test. During the trip there, Thayer said Smith continued to ask why he was in handcuffs. Once at police headquarters he posted two samples of .24 and .23.

Treva Charley

March 23, 11:47 pm

2nd DWI, Aggravated

GPD Officer Steven Peshlakai was on DWI patrol when he noticed a vehicle on East Highway 66 with one headlight off. He conducted a traffic stop and when speaking to Charley, 40, of Continental Divide, he said he could smell alcohol coming from her person.

He said as she left her vehicle, she began swaying side to side and lost her footing a few times. He said he also saw an open container of beer in the back seat of her vehicle.

She agreed to take the field sobriety tests but gave up midway, saying she could not do the test because of her drinking. She then refused to do the breath alcohol test and was charged with aggravated DWI  and having an open liquor container in her vehicle.

Patricia Sunshine Krouth

March 23, 11:02 pm

DWI, Aggravated

GPD Officer Luke Martin was dispatched to Mendoza Road over reports of a crash with injuries and a possibly intoxicated driver. Martin was informed that a witness at the scene was possibly intoxicated as well. Upon arriving, he saw the damaged vehicle, which appeared to have rolled over. Martin saw a marijuana pipe and a bottle of Mike’s Hard Lemonade at the scene.

The driver, Krouth, 35, was transported to the hospital before Martin’s arrival, but he was able to speak with Krouth’s friend at the scene, a witness who was with Krouth before the crash and saw her overcorrect on a turn, thus crashing the car.

Krouth suffered injuries to her head, back, and neck. She admitted to drinking a beer, and pointed officers to a medical marijuana pass in her purse. She refused a breath or blood sample and was issued a summons for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Aaron D. Benally

March 23, 10:10 pm

3rd DWI

GPD Officer Joe Roanhorse arrived at the cross street of East Aztec Avenue and South Puerco Drive after another officer requested assistance with a drunk driver. The driver, Benally, 40, had failed to stop for two pedestrians as they crossed the street on Aztec Avenue.

Roanhorse met with Benally, who spoke with slurred speech, according to the police report. Benally admitted to drinking four cans of beer a few hours prior. Roanhorse asked Benally if he would participate in field sobriety tests, and he agreed. Benally showed signs of intoxication on three tests, and he was booked for DWI. He blew a .14 on two breath tests.

He was also charged with failing to yield to pedestrians.

Andrew B. Dawes

March 23, 4:52 pm

DWI, Aggravated

GPD Officer Joe Roanhorse was dispatched to Andy’s Trading Company after someone in the area reported seeing three people drinking in a car. When Roanhorse arrived, the suspicious driver began attempting to exit away from the business, but the car was blocked in.

Roanhorse knocked on the car window and spoke with the driver, Dawes, 47. “Right away,” Roanhorse wrote in his police report, he noticed Dawes had bloodshot eyes and appeared intoxicated. A passenger in the car also had a case of beer sitting on the floor between his legs, according to the report.

Dawes admitted to drinking four beers, and then soon after admitted he had consumed an entire case of beer.  Dawes refused field sobriety testing and later blew an “insufficient sample” for his breath test, only blowing for a few seconds at a time, according to Roanhorse’s report.

Calvin Lindsey Rush

March 9, 11:30 pm

DWI, Aggravated

GPD Officer Andrew Thayer was dispatched to the 900 block of East Highway 66 after witnesses saw a drunk driver in the area. Upon arriving, Thayer saw a car matching the description in a Taco Bell parking lot. As he approached, several people in the parking lot pointed toward the vehicle and told Thayer “that guy is totally smashed,” according to Thayer’s police report.

Thayer encountered Rush, 37, who was slowly placing items into the passenger seat, according to the police report. Thayer asked that Rush step out of the car. Rush “appeared very confused as to his actions at that time,” according to the report.

Outside of the car, Rush had difficulty standing, and told Thayer, “I’m drunk, I won’t lie to you,” according to the report. He said he had four beers before driving. He agreed to field sobriety tests, and as Thayer was giving the instructions Rush said he was “not ok to drive,” and he was “drunk,” according to the report.

In the end, he refused sobriety testing, and became belligerent, according to the police report, refusing to move. After being booked, he allegedly “punched the door and window, threatening officers.”