Eddie Padilla

Staff Report

Eddie Padilla, 60, of Los Alamos was arrested Oct. 12 and charged with driving under the influence after being stopped for allegedly driving at 58 miles an hour in a posted 25 miles per hour zone on Sandia Street.

An incident report filed by Los Alamos Police Cpl. Jemuel Montoya states that Padilla’s truck did not slow down after Padilla passed him but continued at a high rate of speed. When Padilla stopped, he quickly exited his vehicle and began to approach Montoya’s patrol car but Montoya directed him to get back into the truck.

Montoya’s report states that when he asked Padilla why he was driving at that speed, Padilla said he was in a hurry to get home. While searching for his license, registration and insurance papers, Montoya noted that there was a strong odor of intoxicating liquor from the vehicle and that Padilla’s speech was slow and slurred.

Montoya said when he asked Padilla if he had consumed any intoxicating liquor his first response was that he had only consumed two beers but that he had rephrased his answer stating that he had consumed a six-pack. Montoya then conducted a field sobriety test on Padilla and then informed him that he was under arrest for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Two breath samples obtained at Los Alamos Detention Center indicate that Padilla’s blood alcohol level was .15.