A Guatemalan man with no driver’s license arrested for DUI
- Travis Uresk
- May 1
- 5 min read
By Travis Uresk
5-1-25
Vernal, Ut. | April 19th, 2025 |
Just after midnight, Sgt Watt was patrolling the Vernal area when a small passenger car going north on Vernal Ave stopped in the left turn lane as if it was waiting for an oncoming vehicle to pass or as if it was a 4-way stop intersection, neither of which were applicable.
As the officer turned onto Vernal Ave, the car continued North, driving in the opposing directing left turn lane.
The vehicle approached Main Street, signaled to turn right, and pulled over to the right turn lane but stopped over the lane line, distinguishing the two traffic lanes. The traffic light was initially red when the car stopped. When the light turned green, the car started to pull forward, stopped again for a second, and then made the right turn.
Sgt Watt continued to follow the vehicle and initiated his overhead red and blue lights. The car returned to the left-east traffic lane but kept drifting its left tires over the lane lines into the median. The car braked several times, slowing down, but it wouldn't move to the right and stop.
The officer followed the vehicle with his overhead lights on for almost 2.5 blocks before turning on his siren and honking his air horn. The car continued East while drifting over the lane lines to the right lane a couple of times and slowing down to under 20 mph.
As they approached the 500 East intersection, the car slowed down to nearly a stop on the green traffic light before continuing and, still drifting lanes.
Sgt Roth pulled up to the car's left side in an effort to force the vehicle to pull over. As the officer did this, the car slowed down. When Sgt Roth started to come over into the vehicle's lane, it accelerated for a moment, nearly hitting the officer.
The car then slowed and stopped in the traffic lane. As Sgt Roth pulled forward of the car slightly, it again started driving forward. The vehicle increased its speed to approx. 25 mph, continuing forward in the left traffic lane. As the highway began to turn at 900 E Main, the car started pulling over to the right side of the roadway, hit and pulled its right front tire on the curb, and stopped.
The officers ordered the driver to exit the car, but nothing happened. He was again given orders to exit the vehicle but did not comply. The police approached the car as the driver sat staring forward, not responding to the officer's commands.
He was then given orders to show his hands. Initially, he did not do that either, but he eventually put his hands on the back of his head.
Sgt Watt could see several full beer bottles on the front passenger seat and an opened box of beer on the front passenger floorboard. The police opened the door and took the driver by the hand, pulled him out of the car, and put him on the ground, where he was quickly secured in handcuffs.
Once secured, he was stood up and asked if he knew English, but he said no. The officers could smell the odor of alcohol coming from his person and noticed his eyes were bloodshot and glossy.
Due to the language barrier, Officer Candelas was asked to assist with translating.
A Guatemalan Identification Card identified the driver as 24-year-old Carlos Arnaldo Tzir Sacul.
Carlos was transported to the hospital by Sgt Watt, where Officer Candelas met them. At the hospital, it was explained to Carlos that he was under arrest for Driving Under the Influence. As it was translated to him, he nodded his head yes in response.
When Officer Candelas explained the request to do a blood test, Carlos explained why he did what he did. He responded that he was nervous, did not know what to do, and was learning to drive. He also agreed to the blood draw.
Following the blood draw, Sgt Watt asked if he would do a breath test on a PBT to determine whether he needed a medical exam and release before taking him to jail. The results of the PBT was .260 BrAC.
Carlos told Officer Candelas that he had two beers at the 7-Eleven North parking lot after he purchased the beers.
Carlos was advised of his Miranda rights by Officer Candelas, and he agreed to answer the questions. Carlos acknowledged that he was driving and going home; however, he was going in the opposite direction from where he lives. He also did not know the name of the street or highway he was on.
Carlos stated he left his job site at 6:30 PM and did not know the current time. When asked what he was doing in the last 3 hours, Carlos stated the police caught him at 6:30 PM.
When asked if he had been drinking, Carlos stated that he had two beers in the 7-Eleven parking lot. When asked when his first drink was, he said it was at about 6:15 PM, and the last drink was at 7:00 PM. Carlos did not realize it was nearly 2:00 PM during the interview until it was pointed out to him on the clock in the ER room.
When officers asked Carlos why he didn't pull over when they were trying to stop him, Carlos stated that he wasn't sure what to do, and Carlos thought he saw and heard them, but he was just learning to drive.
Carlos also stated that he parked the car as he did because of the car in front of him. When Carlos pulled over and stopped, no cars were in front of him, including police vehicles.
Officer Candelas stated that when some of the questions were being asked, he kept repeating his story, saying that he only had two beers and was stopped by the police.
Carlos was asked if he had a driver's license from the US, but he stated that he did not. Carlos was also asked if he had ever been charged with a DUI anywhere, but he said no. During the impound inventory of the vehicle, Officers found an opened and spilled beer on the rear passenger floorboard of the car.
Carlos Arnaldo Tzir Sacul was booked into the Uintah County Jail and charged with Failure to Respond to an Officer's Signal to Stop, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Open Container in a Vehicle, Failure to Stay within his lane, and No Driver's License.
The current offense is a felony. The court finds substantial evidence to support the charge and finds clear and convincing evidence that Carlos Arnaldo Tzir Sacul would constitute a substantial danger to any other individual or to the community or is likely to flee the jurisdiction of the court if released on bail.
Therefore, the court orders that Carlos Arnaldo Tzir Sacul is to be held without bail.
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