*Related video: States with the most strict DUI laws
GALLUP, N.M. (KRQE) – A New Mexico State Police (NMSP) officer was arrested for aggravated DWI late Thursday night after driving recklessly around Gallup. Now, the 32-year-old officer, Rachel Hall, is facing charges of aggravated DWI, open container, failure to maintain a traffic lane, driving on the wrong side of the road, and three counts of resisting an officer.
According to the criminal complaint, an on-duty deputy with the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office first took note of Hall’s vehicle around 11 p.m. when she turned onto Highway 66, coming northbound from southbound one-way South Third Street. While the deputy was following Hall’s vehicle, she nearly rear-ended another car at a red light, drove over a sidewalk, almost struck a light pole, and hit multiple curbs, popping both of her car’s right-side tires.
Story continues below
The criminal complaint states that Hall refused to roll her window down more than a couple of inches when she was pulled over, but the deputy “could smell the odor of intoxicating beverages coming from inside of the vehicle.” Two responding McKinley County deputies and a Gallup Police Department officer had to break Hall’s window to get her out of the car. During the arrest, Hall reportedly screamed, held onto the steering wheel to avoid being taken out of her car, and refused to get into either of the deputies’ units.
Hall declined to take the breathalyzer test at the scene, but under Hall’s passenger seat, the deputy found a 750ml bottle of vodka that was three-quarters empty. Hall was booked into the McKinley County Adult Detention Center early Friday morning.
NMSP confirmed that Hall has been with the department for four years and eight months; she has been placed on administrative leave as a result of the arrest.