APD officer arrested for DWI with his child in the vehicle
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An off-duty Albuquerque Police Department officer was arrested late Saturday night at a DWI checkpoint at Unser and Rainbow NW.
Officer Jonathan Franco was detained by Bernalillo County deputies after they smelled a strong alcohol odor coming from the vehicle. Franco had bloodshot and watery eyes. Standard sobriety tests were administered by the deputies, who wrote in a criminal complaint that Franco performed “poorly.” Franco ultimately admitted to drinking “three or four” beers.
Franco’s 6-year-old daughter was in the backseat of his gray Ford pickup truck.
“We are disappointed that this officer made a bad choice,” said APD Chief Harold Medina in a press release. “There are many rideshare options for people to avoid drinking and driving.”
Franco has a bond arraignment set for June 5. He is charged with driving under the influence and driving under the influence with a minor in the vehicle.