Police lieutenant nailed for DWI

By Leslie Wood
Staff Writer

GALLUP — A lieutenant employed with the Window Rock Police Department was arrested in Gallup on a driving while under the influence of alcohol charge after the vehicle he was driving veered off Interstate 40 and struck a mile post sign.

Gallup police officer Benny Gaona arrived at the 26 mile-marker on Jan. 16 to find an abandoned, stationary vehicle on the south side of the off-ramp. Evidence reportedly indicated the vehicle struck a mile-post sign before stopping.

While officers waited for a tow-truck to arrive at the scene, 52-year-old John Begay Jr. drove his pick-up onto the shoulder of the roadway and stepped outside the passenger side door. According to a police report, Begay lost his balance and almost fell as he walked toward the police officers.

During an interview, Begay told officers he was the driver of the vehicle that hit the mile post sign and initially said he did not consume any alcohol prior to the accident.

Officers described Begay's eyes as blood shot and his breath as smelling of alcohol when he recounted what happened. His condition was reportedly consistent with someone who was under the influence of alcohol, according to a report.

Officer Gaona then asked Begay if he would submit a breath sample to determine whether his blood-alcohol content was more than the legal limit of .08.

Following the request, Begay told Gaona he wanted to be honest with him and said he consumed four beers at Panz Alegra. He said he lost control of the vehicle after it stalled and rolled off the roadway.

Officers transported Begay to the Gallup-McKinley County Adult Detention Center where he was asked to take a breath test. According to a report, Begay passed out in a chair located next to the breathalyzer machine following a 20-minute observation period.

Gaona woke Begay who then failed to blow consistent breaths into the machine that subsequently produced an insufficient sample. Begay allegedly told Gaona he had been certified in the IR 5000 breathalyzer procedures, and understood the proper way to blow into the machine.

Begay's results registered .18 during his second sample, but he failed to blow constant enough breaths into the machine for a third.

Begay was booked into the detention center on a DWI charge and a careless driving charge for striking the mile post sign and for driving partially off the embankment on Interstate 40.

Window Rock Police Department official Samson Cowboy could not be reached for comment.