Contributed Photo/Courtesy SPD
Officers make three drunk driving arrests in one night
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – People continue to forgo designated drivers and instead take their chances behind the wheel after indulging on a night out on the town and Safford officers continue to take them off the streets.
On one day, in particular, officers arrested three different drivers on DUI charges.
The first instance occurred at roughly 2:19 a.m. when an officer on patrol in the area of U.S. Highway 70 and 5th Avenue observed what he believed to be an impaired driver.
The officer followed the suspect’s car and initiated a traffic stop after the vehicle made a moving violation.
Upon contact, the driver, Billy Jurado, showed signs of intoxication. Additionally, an open bottle of Crown Royal whiskey was located in an ice chest after Jurado requested to retrieve a bottle of water.
Jurado failed field sobriety tests and was arrested for DUI. During the contact, his wife, who the arresting officer noted also seemed highly intoxicated, was reportedly belligerent and advised Jurado to not to submit to anything and refuse all tests. The woman received a ride and left the scene.
Jurado was arrested for DUI and was taken to the Safford Police Department, where he refused to submit to a blood draw even after being warned that refusing meant his license could be suspended for one year by the Motor Vehicle Department. The officer then received a warrant for his blood and was able to get a sample anyway.
Jurado was then released pending blood test results and review by prosectors.
Just 23 minutes after the first DUI arrest, another officer arrested another driver for DUI and gave a citation to his passenger for having a bottle of alcohol in the center console of the vehicle.
An officer on patrol westbound on 8th Street observed a vehicle pass the white stop bar stripe at the intersection with 8th Avenue and the officer initiated a traffic stop.
Upon contact, the driver, Marcus Antonio Chavez, advised that he and his passenger, Cynthia Bejarano, had gone to a wedding at the fairgrounds and then hit up an after-party at a local bar. The officer noticed an open bottle of Smirnoff Ice in the console along with with another unopened bottle and an unopened bottle of Coors Light, which were all still cold. Chavez allegedly admitted that they had taken some drinks from the wedding party for the road and Bejarano was drinking the Smirnoff while he hadn’t opened his beer yet but was planning on it.
Bejarano eventually admitted to possessing the Smirnoff and was given a citation for having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle and was released to a ride who picked her up from the scene.
After failing field sobriety tests, Chavez was arrested for DUI and was transported to the Safford Police Department, where he submitted for a blood draw.
Chavez was then released pending blood test results and review by prosecutors.
Later that night, at about 11:55 p.m., officers responded to a collision call on 8th Avenue where a silver, Dodge pickup truck had rear-ended several cars that were legally parked on the street.
The driver of the truck, Nikki Errante, had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage, slurred, mumbled speech, bloodshot and watery eyes, and had trouble keeping her balance, according to the police report.
Errante was also slightly injured and advised that she had hit her head on the steering wheel in the crash.
An open can of Mike’s Hard Lemonade was found on the floorboard on the driver’s side, but Errante denied driving with it open and said it must have opened upon impact. Errante was with her husband, who also appeared intoxicated.
After being evaluated and cleared by paramedics, the officer began to check Errante for DUI but she could not maintain her balance well enough for the officer to administer a full field sobriety test.
Errante was then placed under arrest for DUI and taken back to the Safford Police Department for a blood draw. Afterward, she was released to family members with charges pending the blood test results and review by prosecutors.
