newsminer.com

Multiple charges

A Kaktovik man who was pulled over for faulty brake lights faces charges of drunken driving and felony drugs misconduct.

University of Alaska Fairbanks police stopped Robert T. Sittichinli, 41, at 3:13 a.m. Friday for having inoperative brake lights and changing lanes without properly signaling.

According to a criminal complaint filed in court, Sittichinli’s license was revoked and is breath-alcohol content was measured at 0.122 percent by a chemical test, above the 0.08 legal limit.

After his arrest, Sittichinli admitted to having a glass pipe in his jacket. Residue tested positive for cocaine. Sittichinli also had marijuana in his possession.

Sittichinli was charged with DUI, fourth- and sixth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance and driving with a revoked license.

DUI

• A Fairbanks man was charged with felony driving under the influence as the result of a tip.

Donald Bruce Blakely, 71, was arrested Friday after police received a call from someone reporting that a highly intoxicated man had driven to Shopper’s Forum on Airport Way and gone into the liquor store. Police stopped Blakely in the parking lot.

According to a criminal complaint, Blakely had a hard time maintaining his balance when he got out of the car and he displayed other signs of intoxication, including red, bloodshot eyes, dilated pupils, slurred speech and the smell of alcohol on his breath. He failed field sobriety tests and his breath-alcohol content was measured at 0.101 percent by a chemical test.

A check of the Alaska Public Safety Information Network showed that Blakely had two previous DUI convictions in the last 10 years — one in September 2004 and one in July 2006.

• Michael Loga, 21, of Eielson Air Force Base was charged with drunken driving after troopers responded to an accident at 344 Mile Richardson Highway at 3:34 a.m. on Saturday. Loga had a breath-alcohol content of 0.139 percent, according to a criminal complaint. He was also cited for having no proof of insurance.

• Christopher Paul Meurlott, 23, of Fairbanks was charged with drunken driving following a traffic stop by University of Alaska Fairbanks police on Saturday.

Police stopped Meurlott for failing to stop before entering College Road as he left the Marlin. He also failed to signal a turn, according to a criminal complaint.

His breath-alcohol content was measured at 0.140 percent by a chemical test.

• A Fairbanks man who fell asleep in a Mercedes Benz at the drive-thru at McDonald’s was charged with drunken driving.

Kyle Whitman, 19, was arrested after an employee at the fast food restaurant on Airport Way called police at 5 a.m. to report a man passed out in the drive-thru. Police responded and had to pound on the window several times to wake Whitman, according to a criminal complaint.

Whitman failed field sobriety tests and his breath-alcohol content measured 0.111 percent on a chemical breath test.

• John Allen Wisel II, 22, of Fairbanks was charged with drunken driving and refusing to submit to a chemical breath test after falling asleep at the wheel of his car in the parking lot of Chili’s on Merhar Drive.

According to a criminal complaint, a woman called Fairbanks police at 11:55 p.m. Saturday to report a man passed out behind the wheel of his car in the parking lot. The man had his foot on the gas pedal and was revving the engine, the woman told police.

When she woke him up, Wisel had a hard time rolling down the window, the woman said. She asked him if she could call him a cab but he refused and said he was going home. After the woman told Wisel she was calling the police, he left the car and jumped over a fence only to be stopped by police.

• Michael S. Werbelow, 38, of Fairbanks was charged with drunken driving after troopers stopped him at 3:15 a.m. Sunday on Chena Pump Road for having a headlight out. According to a criminal complaint, Werbelow failed field sobriety tests, told the trooper he was a “light weight” and recorded a breath-alcohol content of 0.156 on a chemical test.

• Jules Lawrence Nusunginya, 23, of Fairbanks was charged with drunken driving following a traffic stop at 12:06 a.m. Friday by University of Alaska Fairbanks police. Nusunginya was pulled over for weaving across the fog and center lines on Farmers Loop, according to a criminal complaint. The officer detected the smell of alcohol Nusunginya and his speech was slurred.

Nusunginya admitted to drinking a 40-ounce bottle of malt liquor before driving. He failed field sobriety tests and registered a breath-alcohol content of 0.084 percent on a chemical test.

• A Fairbanks woman was charged with drunken driving for the second time in six weeks after showing up drunk at the Blue Loon on Saturday morning and causing a scene.

According to a criminal complaint, Zena Sigiagruk Kasak, 42, of Fairbanks was arrested about 2 a.m. after security detained her for being intoxicated and called troopers because she was attempting to drive away. Troopers arrived and determined Kasak, who was arrested for DUI on March 17, wasn’t supposed to consume alcohol as part of her conditions of release for that arrest.

A chemical test measured her breath-alcohol content at 0.192 percent, more than twice the legal limit. She was also charged with being drunk on a licensed premise and violating the conditions of her release.

• Ryan Borunda, 20, of Fairbanks was charged with driving under the influence early Sunday morning.

Fairbanks police found his car stopped in the middle of the road at Second Avenue and Dunkel Street just before 2 a.m. and ordered him to move his car. Borunda pulled into a parking lot but police observed him driving erratically on First Avenue less than a minute later. According to a criminal complaint, Borunda stopped at two green lights and failed to signal a turn.

When police stopped him, Borunda moved into the passenger’s seat. Borunda displayed signs of intoxication and told police he had moved into the passenger’s seat because he was too drunk to drive. Borunda failed field sobriety tests and a chemical test measured his breath-alcohol content at 0.132 percent.

• A Fairbanks man and woman were both arrested for drunken driving after switching seats while being pursued by University of Alaska Fairbanks police early Sunday morning. Shane Curtis Burger, 27, and Christine Jean Vanreenan, 25, were both charged with DUI.

According to a criminal complaint, Burger was at the wheel when police saw him fail to stop before entering the roadway leaving the Red Fox in Chena Pump Plaza. Burger also failed to signal a turn and the vehicle had an expired registration. Police followed the vehicle and saw Burger weaving on Chena Pump and Geist roads. The officer also saw Burger switch places with Vanreenan, who was in the passenger’s seat, as he pursued them. The car was weaving badly as the two attempted to switch places. Vanreenan drove the car for about 250 feet on Geist Road before pulling over.

Both Burger and Vanreenan appeared to be intoxicated. Burger, who was argumentative and uncooperative, refused a chemical breath test while Vanreenan registered a breath-alcohol content of 0.152 percent.

• Jonathan R. Hall, 61, of Fairbanks was charged with drunken driving after a traffic stop on April 21. A trooper stopped Hall on Van Horn Road just after 9 p.m. for failing to signal a turn and noted that he had slurred speech. His breath-alcohol content was measured at 0.101 percent. Hall was also cited for no proof of insurance.