Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: Dustin Ray was booked into jail on charges of aggravated DUI, two counts of endangerment, and leaving the scene of an accident.
By Jon Johnson
GRAHAM COUNTY – Dustin Ray, was arrested and booked into the Graham County Jail on Sunday after allegedly crashing a car transporting juveniles while intoxicated and leaving the scene of the crash.
A Good Samaritan who stopped and assisted Ray later called law enforcement and advised that he had given Ray a ride from the crash site at Ray’s behest. The caller informed the crash site was located near Safford/Bryce Road and Marshall Lane and that the man also had two juvenile passengers with him at the time of the crash.
The respondent said the driver, later identified as Ray, was lying on the ground next to the car with two children standing over him when he arrived at the crash scene.
A deputy arrived at the location at about 11:46 a.m. and located a grey, Ford Escape stuck in a nearby field with damage that appeared to make it unable to be driven.
The deputy then went to the residence where the respondent said he dropped the group off and eventually was allowed inside to speak with Ray. Dustin advised he was driving about 50 mph in a 25 mph zone when he lost control. He said since today was the children’s day with their mother, he left the scene to make sure they got to her. Ray allegedly confirmed he was driving at the time of the crash, and the deputy noted his speech was slurred and he had a hard time maintaining his balance.
Ray advised that he was sober when he was driving and had drunk two beers after the crash, however, a breathalyzer test showed a breath/alcohol content of .266, which is much, much higher than if he had only consumed two beers. Additionally, a family member who arrived at the crash scene advised that Ray had been drinking roughly 30 beers a night and was “extremely intoxicated” the previous evening.
After a field sobriety test, the deputy arrested Ray on charges of aggravated DUI, two counts of endangerment, and leaving the scene of an accident, and booked him into jail after taking a blood sample for analysis.
The deputy then contacted the children’s mother to meet with them and was informed that they were at the Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center being examined. The two juveniles, one age 7 and one age 9, were found to be uninjured during the crash, while one admitted to not wearing his seat belt.
Ray’s daughter said her father was driving too fast on the way back from the Dollar General in Pima and forgot to slow down. She said they went off the road sideways and “hopped over the ditch” into the cotton field.
