Staff Reports
Featured DWI
Ferlin Ben
June 20, 8:04 pm
Aggravated DWI (Third)
A Gallup man was arrested following a rollover crash, and he was eventually charged with his third DWI.
Gallup Officer Frank Villa Jr. responded to a call from mile marker 33 on State Highway 400. He arrived at the scene and found a red passenger car overturned on the shoulder and a group of bystanders helping the driver, identified as Ferlin Ben, 30, away from the wreckage.
Villa spoke to Ben, who stated he was unharmed after the incident. However, Ben reportedly showed signs of intoxication including smelling of alcohol and slurring his speech. Villa spoke to witnesses at the scene, who stated they saw Ben driving at a high speed on Highway 400 where he eventually went onto the shoulder and then flipped the vehicle.
When asked about the crash, Ben admitted to drinking numerous cans of Bud Light and other non-specified alcohol about an hour prior to driving. He agreed to take the Standard Field Sobriety Tests, but he performed poorly on them. Ben was arrested and taken to the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office for the breath test, where he posted samples of .21 and .20.
While taking Ben to a local hospital for a medical clearance, Villa was advised that Ben was on probation. Ben was medically cleared and booked into McKinley County Adult Detention Center for aggravated DWI (third) and violating probation.
His pretrial hearing is set for July 15.
Name: Felicia Lavalle Hickson
Age: 28
Arrested: June 24
Charge: Aggravated DWI (Second)
Status: Pretrial hearing on July 15
Name: Shawn R Long
Age: 47
Arrested: June 22
Charge: Aggravated DWI (Second)
Status: Pretrial hearing on July 17
Name: Ralph N. Sanchez
Age: 78
Arrested: June 20
Charge: DWI (Second)
Status: Pretrial hearing on July 24
Name: Serina Yazzie
Age: 33
Arrested: June 19
Charge: Aggravated DWI (Second)
Status: Pretrial hearing on July 8
