Staff Reports
Featured DWI
Brittany James
April 6, 6 pm
Aggravated DWI (second offense)
A 36-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after allegedly swerving into oncoming traffic while accompanied by two intoxicated passengers with open alcoholic containers in Gallup.
Mckinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Dominic Molina responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle traveling recklessly northbound described as a brown 2000 GMC Yukon on State Highway 602 near mile marker 17.
Molina said he followed the vehicle into the Sacred Heart Retreat Center at 67 Highway 602 near mile marker 27, where the SUV eventually came to a complete stop. The license plate was run, and it had come back as suspended.
The driver, identified as Brittany James, of Gallup, claimed she had been traveling from Vanderwagen. According to the deputy’s report, James had blood shot eyes, slurred speech and the odor of alcohol coming from her person. Two allegedly intoxicated male passengers were placed behind a patrol unit.
James told deputies that she had two drinks around 3:15 pm that day and was asked to participate in a sobriety test. Molina said that she could not follow his finger because her contacts were dry. She was also asked to take a breathalyzer test and refused the test because James said that she would blow a reading.
Molina said he walked James to his patrol unit due to a current foot injury. Then she was placed under arrest for suspicion of driving while under the influence, driving while license revoked, an open container, no insurance and failure to register vehicle.
During a search of the vehicle, Molina said he found two empty Vodka-based drinks. The report did not state where the passengers were transported. James was taken and booked at the McKinley County Adult Detention Center for her second DWI. She has a pretrial hearing set for May 8.
Name: Shannon Pino
Age: 32
Arrested: April 6
Charge: Aggravated DWI
Status: Pretrial hearing on May 13
Name: Raelynn Brittany Martinez
Age: 25
Arrested: April 4
Charge: Aggravated DWI
Status: Pretrial hearing on April 29
