Man found sleeping behind wheel arrested for DUI

A Pahrump man was taken into custody for DUI after Nye County Sheriff’s deputy Cory Buendicho says he found him sleeping in his vehicle at the Circle K onWest Basin Avenue.

Buendicho was dispatched there at approximately 7 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 2, when he located a white pickup truck hauling a white box trailer. When he approached the driver’s side window, he observed the driver and sole occupant with his head down and eyes closed, appearing to be asleep.

When he knocked on the window, he said, Marco Peralta-Flores woke up.

“I asked the driver to roll down his window, but it appeared he could not hear me or understand what I was asking him to do,” the report stated.

When deputy Buendicho opened the door to speak to the driver, he smelled an alcoholic odor, according to the report. He observed the driver’s eyes to be bloodshot and watery, and reported that the driver’s speech was slow and slurred.

“The vehicle was running and in the drive position,” Buendicho’s report stated. “I instructed the driver to put the vehicle in park and turn off the engine. I asked Marco multiple times for his driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance. Each time I requested the documentation, Marco appeared to be confused and never provided the documentation.”

Interpreter arrives

Another deputy, who spoke Spanish, arrived on scene where he assisted Buendicho.

“The assisting deputy asked for Marco’s driver’s license multiple times and Marco attempted to hand me five-dollar bill multiple times,” according to Buendicho’s report. “When Marco exited his vehicle, I observed his gait to be unsteady and I could smell an unknown alcoholic odor emitting from Marco’s person.”

Failed tests

Peralta-Flores reportedly consented to a series of standardized field sobriety tests and failed, according to the deputy’s report.

“I also administered the walk-and-turn test to which Marco also failed,” the report stated. “Due to Marcos’ unsteady gait, I did not conduct the one-legged stand test for Marco’s safety.”

Buendicho noted that Peralta-Flores also failed a breath test after being booked at the detention center.

“The results of the breath test were .212 and .202, which is more than twice the legal limit,” he noted.

Bail amount was set at $700.

Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes