Holiday Drunk & Drugged Driving Arrests

Universal Gesture: Red & Blue Lights Mean Pull Over

Mesa County, Colo. -- Drunk and drugged driving are suspected in two recent arrests where the driver in each scenario initially refused to stop when deputies turned on their vehicle overhead lights in the universal gesture of red and blue flashing lights in the driver's rearview mirror. Add the siren, and it's obvious to everyone in earshot that a traffic stop is being conducted or an emergency is up ahead, either way the driver is to pull their car to the shoulder of the road and stop.

Carlos Quintana
MCSO/FPD PHOTO: Dec. 2015

Just before 7 p.m., yesterday, deputies arrested Carlos Quintana, 37, of Fruita, after a citizen report came into dispatch of an erratic driver in the area of 30 Road and I-70 Business Loop, Grand Junction. Deputies located the driver in the area of 32 and E Roads, Clifton, where initially the driver refused to stop the vehicle for the deputy displaying his emergency lights and siren.

When the deputy did contact the driver of the vehicle he recognized him from a previous DUI arrest he had with the suspect, stemming from August 2015. Deputies arrested and booked Carlos into the Mesa County Detention Facility on one count each of driving under the influence (alcohol and/or drugs), drove vehicle with restrained license for alcohol or drug offense, speeding and weaving--failure to drive in a single lane.

During the booking process, an officer with Fruita Police Department, charged Carlos with DUI, careless driving, leaving the scene of a crash after striking an unattended vehicle/property, driving under revocation and no insurance in possession. These additional charges from Fruita Police Department stem from an incident and investigation in the City of Fruita, from December 27, 2015.

Heather Laimo
MCSO PHOTO: Dec. 2015

Later in the night, deputies witnessed a female driver going about 5 miles per hour in the area of D and 29 Roads, Grand Junction. Multiple attempted to get the driver to stop were unsuccessful, until a deputy was able to get her driver's side door open and assist her out of the vehicle, but not before she had stopped driving at one point and then reversed into a patrol car denting her rear bumper, and then driving forward again.

Heather Laimo, 34, of Grand Junction, was arrested and charged with one count each of DUI, vehicular eluding, reckless endangerment, weaving--failure to drive in a single lane and reckless driving.

Bond amounts have not yet been set for either suspect, but are expected this afternoon. Charges and bond amount updates can be viewed 24 hours a day on our Inmate Inquiry System webpage, for any inmate currently in our facility.