GALLUP, N.M. (KRQE) – A former New Mexico State Police officer who was arrested for reportedly driving drunk in Gallup earlier this year changed her plea in court Friday.
Man pleads guilty to threatening Farmington district court judge
Rachel Hall pleaded no contest to one count of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. She was taken into custody on Feb. 27after a McKinley County Sheriff’s Office deputy allegedly saw Hall driving the wrong way. While the deputy was following Hall’s vehicle, she nearly rear-ended another car at a red light, drove over a sidewalk, almost struck a light pole, and hit multiple curbs, popping both of her car’s right-side tires, according to court documents.
The criminal complaint states that Hall refused to roll her window down more than a couple of inches when she was pulled over, but the deputy “could smell the odor of intoxicating beverages coming from inside of the vehicle.”
Two responding McKinley County deputies and a Gallup Police Department officer had to break Hall’s window to get her out of the car. During the arrest, Hall reportedly screamed, held onto the steering wheel to avoid being taken out of her car, and refused to get into either of the deputies’ units.
In Hall’s car, a deputy found a 750ml bottle of vodka that was three-quarters empty under the passenger seat, according to court documents.
She initially pleaded not guilty to five charges including aggravated DWI.
Hall’s sentence of one year of probation was deferred. If she completes DWI school and stays out of trouble, the one charge she plead no contest to will be dismissed after a year.
Hall served the department for four years and eight months before she was placed on administrative leave and later resigned.
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