{"id":23212,"date":"2024-12-26T20:38:12","date_gmt":"2024-12-27T03:38:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/montezuma-county-da-christian-hatfield-charged-with-dwi\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T22:29:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T04:29:53","slug":"montezuma-county-da-christian-hatfield-charged-with-dwi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/montezuma-county-da-christian-hatfield-charged-with-dwi\/","title":{"rendered":"Montezuma County DA Christian Hatfield charged with DWI"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Christian
Christian Hatfield is interviewed at the scene of his crash, the intersection of U.S. Highway 64 and San Juan County Road 5099 about 1 a.m. Aug. 30. (Screenshot from body camera)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Montezuma County District Attorney Christian Hatfield was charged Friday with driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs 16 weeks after he crashed his SUV on U.S. Highway 64 outside Bloomfield.<\/p>\n

The San Juan County Sheriff\u2019s Office charged Hatfield, 59, with petty misdemeanor charge of DWI and an open container in connection to the Aug. 30 single-car crash.<\/p>\n

The charges come after results from a blood test by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory showed alcohol and a drug in Hatfield\u2019s body after the crash.<\/p>\n

\"Christian
Christian Hatfield<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cThe results show that at the time of the blood draw, which was approximately eleven hours after the time of the crash due to medical issues, were 0.05 g\/100 ml of Ethanol and 0.04 mg\/L of Zolpidem (Ambien). Both Ethanol and Ambien are Central Nervous System Depressants,\u201d the law enforcement report states.<\/p>\n

Two vials of blood were taken from Hatfield at 1:33 p.m. Aug. 30, which was more than 12 hours after the crash occurred about 1 a.m. Those vials were received by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory at 10:26 a.m. Oct. 11, which was six weeks after the crash, according to records from the lab.<\/p>\n

An investigation into the blood warrant by The Jo<\/em>urnal ne<\/em>wspaper in Cortez, Colorado, showed that the blood sample sat in a refrigerator at the San Juan County Sheriff\u2019s Office until Oct. 3, because paperwork to send it to the state laboratory was not processed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s a non-prosecutable case because of all the errors made by law enforcement,\u201d said Arlon Stoker, a high-profile defense attorney secured by Hatfield to fight the charges.<\/p>\n

\"A
A screenshot from a law enforcement body camera shows Christian Hatfield, 59, after an alleged DWI crash on Aug. 30 on U.S. Highway 64 outside Bloomfield. (Screenshot from video)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The charges made by the San Juan County Sheriff\u2019s Office are \u201cbased on the observations made by law enforcement officers on scene and the presence of intoxicating drugs and liquors in Christian\u2019s blood,\u201d according to the report that was given to The<\/em> Journa<\/em>l by the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government.<\/p>\n

Amanda Lavin, legal director for NMFOG, assisted The<\/em> Journal<\/em> in accessing public records from the San Juan County Sheriff\u2019s Office in Aztec. The records had been redacted, leaving out Hatfield\u2019s name and information about the blood warrant filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court.<\/p>\n

Public records requests by The Journal <\/em>and the Tri-City Record <\/em>went unresolved for 14 weeks.<\/p>\n

The<\/em> Journal<\/em> requested body camera footage and lapel camera video on Sept. 3.<\/p>\n

The Tri-City Record <\/em>requested any and all warrants, investigative reports and laboratory reports as well as photos, lapel cam videos and dash cam videos on Oct. 23.<\/p>\n

On Dec. 9, Lavin made the same requests.<\/p>\n

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