Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Alamo official arrested for DWI

Gerald Garner Jr. El Defensor Chieftain Editor

An Alamo Navajo School Board member Burton Apache, 46, was arrested for driving under the influence following a Monday, March 16, traffic stop by State Police.

Socorro County Detention Center administrator Evangel Maldonado confirmed that Apache was incarcerated Monday, March 16 for driving under the influence.

According to the criminal complaint filed Tuesday, March 17, by New Mexico State Police patrolman Jaime Dominguez, officers were first alerted to Apache when a license plate status check revealed unknown insurance information.

That was enough for Dominguez to initiate the traffic stop.

When interviewing the suspect, Dominguez "smelled a strong odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle." The officer located cans of beer in the truck and began administering the field sobriety tests — the horizontal eye gaze nytagmus, a "walk and turn" test, the "one leg stand" and the "four finger dexterity test."

The criminal complaint alleges that Apache failed the tests and was taken for a breath test. That test yielded a .07 result, which prompted Dominguez to arrest Apache on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Apache's arraignment was pending as of Chieftain press time.

Calls to the Alamo Navajo School Board for comment were not immediately returned.

Apache also serves as the Alamo Chapter's Land Use representative.

Apache could not be reached for comment as of Chieftain press time.

ggarner@dchieftain.com

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