DUI Pursuit
 
By PIO Ryan Wilbur
January 9, 2024
 

A 23-year-old Stafford man was arrested early Sunday morning after a rather drunken and dangerous incident.

On January 7th at approximately 2:34 a.m. First Sergeant D.W. Fetterolf observed a vehicle driving in a rather unsafe manner on Warrenton Road. Due to the vehicle not maintaining the lane of travel and the time of day, First Sergeant Fetterolf hypothesized the driver might be intoxicated and requested nearby units to respond as he attempted a traffic stop. When First Sergeant Fetterolf put on his emergency equipment, instead of pulling over like most would, the driver continued on and made a U-turn at the Plantation Drive intersection.

Sergeant J.D. Hurt, Deputy A.J. Charoenthep and Deputy M.N. Sayegh joined in the pursuit as the vehicle continued heading Southbound. In order to prevent the vehicle from entering onto I-95, deputies decided to conduct a rolling road block. At the intersection of Sanford Drive deputies were able to use their vehicles to force the vehicle onto Sanford Drive, where it began traveling on the wrong side of the road. at the intersection of Sanford Drive and Simpson Drive, deputies surrounded the vehicle, forcing it to stop. The driver was detained without further incident.

The driver, Melendez Marguina, advised he consumed “not that much” prior to driving, despite there being numerous open containers within the vehicle. He was charged with driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content above .2, eluding police, traveling on the wrong side of the road, and failure to maintain the lane of travel. He was held at Rappahannock Regional Jail on a $7,500 secured bond.

Drive sober or get pulled over.