Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Deputy on paid leave after being charged with DWI

Clara Garcia News-Bulletin Staff Writer; cgarcia@news-bulletin.com

Los Chavez A Valencia County sheriff's deputy has been placed on paid administrative leave after he was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of driving drunk.

Patrick Duran, 28, was arrested just before 3:30 a.m. Sunday after a state police officer noticed that the red 2001 Silverado pickup truck he was driving on N.M. 314 was swerving, said State Police Lt. Eric Garcia.

"He was stopped for failure to maintain the lane of travel," Garcia said. "Mr. Duran was taken to the state police office in Los Lunas and refused to take a Breathalyzer test. He was released by Magistrate Danny Hawkes on his own recognizance."

Garcia said Duran, who is charged with aggravated DWI, could lose his driver's license for refusing to take the Breathalyzer test.

Duran could not be reached for comment.

Sheriff Rene Rivera said he was informed of the allegations against his deputy when Duran himself called him on Sunday morning following his release. Rivera said Duran, who has been with the sheriff's department for more than a year, had been working the night before providing private security for a cage fight event in Belen.

"After that, he went to a party at (another deputy's) house," Rivera said. "He left and was on his way home when he was stopped by state police."

According to the sheriff, Duran was headed south on N.M. 314 when he saw a state police officer driving in the opposite direction. Rivera said his deputy saw the officer turn around and engage his emergency lights and figured he was being stopped for speeding.

Rivera said when his deputy was told that he was being stopped for weaving, Duran questioned the officer and said he couldn't have seen his weaving from the other side of the highway.

The sheriff also said Duran's 27-year-old girlfriend, who was a passenger in the truck that morning, was also arrested and charged with being a party to a crime. She was booked into the Valencia County Adult Detention Center and released later that day after Duran posted her $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Garcia said he wasn't sure why Duran's girlfriend was arrested and charged.

Duran has been arrested on DWI charges twice before, according to court records. In 2003, Duran was charged with DWI and speeding but pleaded guilty to resisting an officer and reckless driving and the other charges were dismissed. In 2004, he was charged with aggravated DWI causing bodily injury, and the charge was dismissed without prejudice.

Rivera said he knew when he hired Duran, a former state police and Socorro police officer, that he had a prior DWI charge. He said he hired Duran because he had never been convicted.

"He's an excellent police officer, and I've never had any problems with him," Rivera said. "Patrick is a very smart deputy, and it just blew me away that this happened. I just think there's more to this."

Rivera said the internal investigation could take weeks before a conclusion is made.

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