Diego Lopez, Reporter
GRANTS, N.M. – In the late hours of October 6, 2023, a collision involving a motorcycle and an SUV near the Allsup’s on First Street (616 First Street) in Grants, New Mexico, resulted in the arrest of an alleged DUI driver and significant injuries to the motorcyclist. Officers arrested Rachel Martinez, 27 of Grants, for the accident.
Officers, responding to a call from Cibola Regional Dispatch at approximately 11 p.m. found a male subject wearing a motorcycle helmet lying face down in the intersection of First Street and Jefferson Avenue, with two individuals identified as the victim's brothers standing nearby. They reported that a female driver had struck the motorcycle, which led to the accident.
Grants Fire and Rescue arrived promptly, providing medical assistance to the motorcyclist, identified as Donovyn Fording based on his New Mexico State Driver’s License. Fording was unresponsive and required immediate transport to the University of New Mexico Trauma Center in Albuquerque, a request made by the medical personnel. He was subsequently transported to Cibola General Hospital for initial treatment.
Officers made note of pieces of the motorcycle's front fender on the ground near Fording and was informed that the brothers had moved the motorcycle to the sidewalk. Officers then approached the driver of the black SUV, identified as a Nissan Murano with New Mexico license plate BKXH14. The driver, identified as Rachel Martinez, appeared to be in a state of distress and was accompanied by a male juvenile and female juvenile, according to the police report.
Martinez explained that she was traveling east on Jefferson Avenue and crossing First Street when the collision occurred. She claimed not to have seen the motorcycle due to its lack of an activated headlight.
Upon further examination, Officers discovered a skid mark from the motorcycle approximately 33-feet north of the point of impact with the SUV. According to the report, this suggested that Martinez's vehicle had entered the second lane of First Street, cutting off Fording's path, leading him to apply his brakes in an attempt to avoid a collision.
While at the scene, Officers noticed Martinez yelling at family members who had arrived. He approached her, and, as she yelled, he allegedly detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath. Officers questioned her about her alcohol consumption, to which Martinez denied drinking any alcoholic beverages. However, officers noted her bloodshot, red, and watery eyes and unsteady balance.
Officers administered several Standardized Field Sobriety Tests to Martinez, including the Horizontal Eye Gaze Nystagmus test, the Walk and Turn test, and the One Leg Stand test. Martinez displayed signs of impairment during each test, including a lack of smooth pursuit of her gaze, unsteady balance, and an inability to perform basic instructions.
Officers arrested Martinez and placed her in handcuffs, subsequently transporting her to the Grants Police Department. During this time, Martinez's juvenile children were placed in the care of her mother who had arrived at the scene.
According to the report, Martinez consented to a chemical breath test at the police department, with results indicating a Breath Alcohol Content of .23 and .25, three times the legal limit for operating a motor vehicle. Following the test, Officers transported her to Cibola Regional Hospital for medical clearance before taking her to Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan, New Mexico, for incarceration.