Police: Ruiz was at bar before crash

SANTA FE, NM (KRQE) - Courts records show the man police said drove drunk and killed two young sisters in Santa Fe had been at a local bar with friends before the accident happened.

James Ruiz, 34, was in Santa Fe Magistrate Court Monday afternoon where Judge Sandy Miera read the charges against him including two counts of vehicular homicide and driving on a revoked or suspended license.

He's accused of causing a five-car crash on Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe that killed sisters Deshauna Peshlakai, 17, and Del Peshlakai, 19, of Newcomb.

During an interview after the accident, a man in the truck Ruiz was driving, told police he was at the Blue Corn Café and Brewery with Ruiz and his girlfriend, according to court documents.

Three people were in the truck that was involved in the accident, according to a search warrant for a blood sample.

The truck involved in the deadly accident is registered to Gilbert Mendoza, one of the friends Ruiz was with, according to court documents.

Ruiz also told police in an interview the three were at an Applebee's before the crash.

Santa Fe Police Chief Aric Wheeler said the passengers could also be charged, and a search warrant for the truck is in the works.

"We don't know what evidence that we are going to find within the vehicle," Wheeler said. "but it is always something we can look at to file possible charges against those people."

Police drew Ruiz's blood the night of the crash to get his alcohol level.

Chief Wheeler said those results are due back in a couple of weeks.

Ruiz is behind bars on a $2 million cash only bond.

Besides three DWI convictions Ruiz already has, he was supposed to go on trial this week for another DWI arrest from 2008.