Man charged with fifth DWI after chase

New Mexico State Police arrested a Thoreau man on his fifth driving-while-intoxicated charge after a high-speed chase through Quay and Guadalupe counties.

Jimmie Glen Yazzie Jr., 44, was charged with 13 total counts: aggravated DWI, aggravated assault on a peace officer, aggravated fleeing a law-enforcement officer, resisting or evading an officer, criminal damage to property, driving while license revoked, reckless driving, speeding, failure to maintain traffic lane, no turn signal, overtaking vehicle on the right and improper equipment.

The aggravated assault charge was the most serious — a third-degree felony that could lead up to three years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine.

Yazzie appeared before Guadalupe County Magistrate Court in Santa Rosa and was booked into the DeBaca County Detention Center in Fort Sumner.

According to a news release from New Mexico State Police and a probable-cause statement filed in the case, a state police officer about 9:30 p.m. Nov. 18 made a welfare check on a sedan on the shoulder of westbound Interstate 40 near milepost 338 east of Tucumcari.

The officer and engaged his emergency lights after seeing the driver urinating on the side of the road. The driver got into his vehicle and sped away, but the officer obtained the license plate number. The officer reported Yazzie’s vehicle was traveling at speeds up to 113 mph.

The registration came back to Yazzie, whose driver’s license was revoked. He also was an parole for four DWI convictions and aggravated fleeing.

An alert was issued for Yazzie’s vehicle. Dispatch also reported that Yazzie was given permission from his parole officer to work in Tucumcari.

About 10 p.m., an officer found the sedan parked at the Route 66 Gas Station in Newark, where Yazzie was fueling it.

Yazzie re-entered his vehicle. The officer approached and tried to get Yazzie out of the sedan, but he refused to comply.

Yazzie put the vehicle in reverse, pinning the officer between the driver’s side door and the gas pump. The officer was able to escape and not be run over. Yazzie’s vehicle damaged one of the gas pumps before he sped away.

A pursuit of Yazzie’s vehicle ensued on westbound I-40 at speeds of over 100 mph.

Santa Rosa Police used spike strips to flatten the vehicle’s tires, but Yazzie continued to flee.

State police finally used a pursuit-intervention technique to stop Yazzie’s vehicle near milepost 277. Yazzie then abandoned the sedan and fled on foot.

Yazzie was found in the area a short time later and taken into custody without further incident.

According to the news release, Yazzie admitted to drinking several alcoholic drinks in Tucumcari before driving.