STATE News:ALBUQUERQUE ― Tuesday, Gov. Susana Martinez unveiled the latest TV ads in the fight against DWI just days before one of the biggest drinking holidays of the year. The three TV ads, which will run until Jan.9, provide a first-hand perspective of what it’s like to get pulled over for driving drunk.
“These ads give a detailed account of what you will go through if you make the irresponsible decision to get into your car after drinking,” Martinez said. “They are a powerful reminder that law enforcement is out in full force – if you drink and drive, you will be pulled over.”
Watch the ads here.
In addition, the Governor announced a new Top 10 Most Wanted DWI Fugitives. This is part of an effort announced last year to locate and capture repeat DWI offenders – including those who have killed or seriously injured families on the road – who have skipped out on parole or probation and are now hiding from the law.
Since the last year, State Police and law enforcement across the state have captured 195 DWI offenders who were on the run – 21 of them from the state’s Top 10 list.
The new Top 10 List:
- Wilson Kinlechee, seventh DWI offense.
- Guadencio Sandoval, fifth DWI offense.
- Shawn Davis, sixth DWI offense.
- Aldo Marquez, seventh or greater DWI offense.
- Larry Begay, fifth DWI offense.
- Ramona Morin, on the run after committing vehicular homicide or great bodily harm while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Harry Harvey, fifth DWI offense.
- Fabian James, fourth DWI offense.
- Pablo Salazar, sixth or greater DWI offense.
- Maria Murray, fifth or greater DWI offense.
“Many of these people are at high risk of killing someone on the road, which is why it’s so important that we continue to work with agencies across the state to catch them and put them behind bars,” said Acting Corrections Department Secretary Dave Jablonski. “When we find one of these dangerous DWI offenders and get them back where they belong, that’s a win for New Mexico. It could be another innocent life saved.”
Governor Martinez has made fighting DWI in her administration a priority. This year, the Governor enacted legislation that increased penalties against drunk drivers to some of the toughest in the region. Most recently, the administration launched a campaign aimed to stop servers and establishments from over-serving alcohol.
Last year, in addition to the crackdown on DWI offender absconders and DWI bench warrant roundups, she announced a court monitoring program that placed citizens inside courtrooms in six counties to shed light on how DWI cases are handled.
