Man in jail after 15th DWI charge
Three of four passengers in vehicle also arrested on outstanding warrants
A Shiprock man has been arrested on his 15th charge of driving while intoxicated, New Mexico State Police say.
Court records show at least 11 DWI convictions for Levi Manuelito, 57, since 1985 and now two additional pending DWI cases.
Most recently, he was arrested at about 2:30 p.m. on Friday while behind the wheel of a vehicle parked in a gas station half way between Shiprock and Farmington.
Police say in a criminal complaint that Manuelito exited the vehicle with his pants unbuckled and unzipped, and fell into a nearby vehicle.
Manuelito refused to perform field sobriety tests so the officers secured a court order for a blood draw and he was booked into jail. The vehicle was towed and three of the four passengers in his vehicle were arrested on outstanding warrants, police said. State Police have not identified these passengers.
In addition to the new DWI case, Manuelito was also wanted on a warrant from a May 2017 DWI case, his 14th, according to State Police. In that case, he had been granted a release from jail to attend his son’s funeral, but court records seem to indicate he never returned to jail.
Court records for Manuelito indicate at least 11 DWI convictions, resulting in a revoked license and several years in prison, and two additional pending cases, including the most recent arrest. He is being held without bond as prosecutors seek to detain him pending trial.
State Department of Corrections records show Manuelito has been in prison, on parole, on probation or absconding from parole consistently since 2000.
He served just under five years total since 2000. His longest stint was about 1 year and 9 months for a 2007 DWI — his 10th.
A state law implemented in 2016 says that an 8th or subsequent DWI requires a 12-year sentence, of which 10 years cannot be suspended. Prior to 2016, the maximum sentence was up to three years in prison.