In a concerted effort to ensure safety during Memorial Day Weekend, the Santa Fe Police Department launched ‘Operation Hornet’s Nest,’ focusing on impaired driving within the city. This initiative included a checkpoint at Jaguar Drive and South Meadows Road, as well as saturation patrols across Santa Fe.

Checkpoint Arrests

On Saturday night, two individuals were arrested at the checkpoint. Timothy Lynch, 46, from Hollywood, California, refused a sobriety test and was charged with aggravated DWI, marking his first offense. Saul Jasso, 24, a local resident, was charged with DWI and failure to signal. Both were taken to the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Center.

Patrol Efforts

In addition to the checkpoint, officers conducted saturation patrols, targeting impaired drivers, speeders, and street racers. Early Sunday morning, an officer observed a vehicle driving the wrong way on Ortiz Street and failing to stop at a sign on West Alameda and Galisteo Road. The driver, Zaphaniah Gonzales, 48, appeared impaired and refused both sobriety and breath tests. He was charged with aggravated DWI (third offense), wrong-way driving, and several other violations before being booked into the detention center.

The Santa Fe Police Department’s proactive measures highlight the importance of road safety and the enforcement of laws to protect the community during busy holiday weekends.

Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.