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Jun 21, 8:19 PM (ET)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - A man arrested after a traffic stop fell asleep before an officer arrived to administer a field sobriety test. But authorities say James Lovato, 50, had been through it before - it was his 18th arrest on a charge of drunken driving.

The DWI Resource Center, which tracks drunken driving convictions back to 1984, said Lovato has been convicted at least eight times. State records show his first arrest was in 1977. In addition, a criminal complaint against him in the latest arrest said his license has been revoked seven times.

He was charged in Saturday's incident with aggravated driving while intoxicated on a fourth or subsequent offense.

A breath test found his breath-alcohol level was 0.16 percent, twice the state's presumed level of intoxication.

Lovato was driving on a revoked license when police said they clocked him at 77 mph in a 65 mph zone on Interstate 25 north of Albuquerque.

A complaint filed in metropolitan court said police had to force Lovato's car to the side of the road to get him to stop. Police then noticed an open beer bottle near the driver's seat, and said Lovato's eyes were bloodshot and his breath smelled of alcohol.

The complaint said three open containers of beer were found in the car.

Police also said Lovato fell asleep by the time a DWI officer arrived to administer the sobriety test.

Lovato pleaded guilty last year to a charge of fourth or subsequent offense DWI and was sentenced last October to 12 months in a community custody program followed by probation.

" When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane!"

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\"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives\"

18 arrests for DUI, and dude is still on the streets.

Amazing.

<b>There are two kinds of soldiers.
Snipers...and targets.</b>
<img src="http://www.creedmoorsports.com/images/SA9121-M21.JPG" border=0>

Too bad he didn't fall asleep near an overpass abuttment.

"Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together...." - Carl Zwanzig

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\"Those who hammer their guns into plows
will plow for those who do not.\"
- Thomas Jefferson

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
18 arrests for DUI, and dude is still on the streets.

Amazing.
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I refer you to my comments about the jurisprudence system in the alternate thread, reprinted here for your convenience:

"This is a data point for my theory that the jurisprudence system in the USA, and especially in California, is broken. Courts get it wrong 50% of the time on average. That includes being 100% wrong when celebrities are involved (e.g. O.J., Robert Blake, Michael Jackson). Currently, I would recommend avoidance of the court system, especially if you are innocent. You have a 50/50 chance of being convicted, guilty or not. Of course that means that 50% of the criminals get off too. I know minority groups have always been saying that the courts are unfair to them, and I thought it was just whining. However, now I think they may have something. What they fail to see is that the court system is unfair/inconsistent to everyone. If you are accused of a crime, you are better off running. Get out of the country fast , or go underground, because you are rolling the dice to get justice here. Imagine what it is like in third world countries. I shudder to think."



THE RAMPTOR ENGINEERING TEAM <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
"Who cares if it works? Does it look good on the ramp?"

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