Nueces County District Attorney's Office investigator arrested on suspicion of DWI
An investigator for the Nueces County District Attorney's Office was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving on Corpus Christi’s Southside last week.
Arturo Rodriguez Gallegos Jr., 54, was arrested by Corpus Christi police the morning of May 29 after an officer patrolling Yorktown Boulevard noticed a green Toyota Tundra almost turn into the westbound lanes of Yorktown Boulevard and onto the wrong side of the road, according to a probable cause statement signed by the arresting officer.
The officer observed the vehicle swerving, traveling slowly and impeding traffic, according to the statement.
"The green Toyota Tundra pickup drove at various speeds and all over both lanes of travel,” the document stated. "The green Toyota Tundra pickup almost ran up onto the curbs multiple times.”
The officer attempted to stop the vehicle by flashing his emergency lights, but the driver kept driving as if he didn’t notice, according to the document.
Once stopped, the driver handed the officer a debit or credit card and a Nueces County District Attorney’s Office full-time peace officer card.
“I told Arturo I didn’t need his debit/credit card and needed his driver’s license,” the officer stated in the report. “Arturo put his debit/credit card away and still attempted to hand me the Nueces County District Attorney’s Office full-time Peace Officer card. I asked Arturo for his driver’s license and he stated that was it.”
The officer stated that Gallegos smelled of “intoxicating beverage; had red, watery eyes with droopy eyelids; slurred speech and appeared to be disoriented." According to the report, the driver stated he was “just trying to make it home” and repeatedly asked for a “professional courtesy.”
The officer observed a mostly empty bottle of R&R liquor in the backseat of the truck. Gallegos allegedly told the officer he had a couple of drinks and was driving home from a bar.
The officer attempted to perform standardized field sobriety tests and a preliminary breath specimen, both of which Gallegos refused to participate in, according to the statement. The officer then determined Gallegos was intoxicated and placed him under arrest on a charge of driving while intoxicated.
Driving while intoxicated is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to a $3,000 fine and up to six months in jail.
After his arrest, Gallegos allegedly continued to refuse to provide a breath specimen, and a warrant for a blood specimen was issued. The report states that Gallegos’ license was suspended after his arrest.
“I have no comment regarding pending personnel matters," Nueces County District Attorney Mark Gonzalez said in a text. “Mr. Gallegos has been a great employee over the years. It’s unfortunate the media would waste time and resources on a misdemeanor.”
Gonzalez did not disclose whether Gallegos will face disciplinary action.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Nueces County DA's Office investigator arrested on suspicion of DWI
