SHIPROCK, N.M. (KRQE) – Dashcam video shows a man with 14 DWI convictions claiming police had the wrong guy, but his passengers were quick to throw him under the bus.
It was a few days before Christmas when State Police got a call about a car driving erratically on U.S. 64 near Shiprock.
The officers approached the car to talk to the people inside.
Police say the driver was Levi Manuelito. Police say he tried to hide the fact that he was driving drunk, but his passengers were quick to snitch.
Officer: “Who was driving when they picked you up?”
Passenger: (pointing at Manuelito) “He was.”
As police continued to talk to each person in the car, it became clear to them that no one was sober.
“Everyone in this car is drunk,” the officer said.
At one point, one of the passengers was so drunk, he wandered off into the cold without any shoes.
As police tried to help the man to safety, all Manuelito cared about was whether or not he was in trouble.
Officer: “Ok, go ahead and have a seat.”
Manuelito: “You’re not arresting me, are you?”
Officer: “No, have a seat.”
When police punched his name into their computers, they probably could not believe what they were seeing. They say he has 14 DWI convictions. He was already awaiting trial for a DWI back in May.
His attempt to get out of this one was undone by his own passengers.
“Both of them said he was driving,” the officer said.
Manuelito refused to take a breathalyzer test and the results of his blood draw are not back yet.
This time around, he will stay behind bars until his trial.
In 2014, Manuelito was sentenced to three years for a DWI, which used to be the maximum sentence for any DWI. Because of stricter laws since then, he faces 10 to 12 years for each of those two new DWIs if he is convicted.
—-Send a Breaking News TipReport an error or typoLearn about the KRQE apps
