Casper Man Charged With 4th DUI in 10 Years

A Casper man is charged with his fourth DUI in 10 years after a traffic stop Sunday afternoon.

Vidal Fernandez is facing recommended charges of driving under the influence-fourth offense, driving with a suspended license, open container, driving without insurance and running a red light.

According to court records, Fernandez went into a Casper liquor store to purchase a case of beer. The store's employee noticed that Fernandez didn't park straight.

After Fernandez made his purchase, he bumped into the store's door on his way out. Two customers came in after Fernandez left and told the employee that Fernandez was stumbling to his vehicle. The employee then called the police.

A Casper police officer located Fernandez traveling eastbound on East Second Street at South Kenwood. The officer saw Fernandez run a red light before she pulled him over.

During the stop, the officer smelled alcohol coming from Fernandez. The officer also observed an open can of Rolling Rock beer in the center cupholder of Fernadez' vehicle. His speech was slurred and he repeated himself often.

Fernandez admitted to drinking three of four Budweisers.

When asked to exit his vehicle, Fernandez hesitated and asked the officer to give him a chance. The officer told Fernandez she was giving him a chance by allowing him to attempt a standard field sobriety test.

Fernandez had trouble standing during the sobriety tests. He was then placed under arrest but initially resisted being handcuffed and placed in the officer's patrol vehicle.

On the way to the Natrona County Detention Center, Fernandez agreed to take a breathalyzer test. However, when he arrived, he refused to provide a sufficient breath sample. He also refused to give a blood or urine sample.

A judge, however, granted a search warrant and a jail nurse took a blood sample.

When the officer ran a criminal history on Fernandez, she discovered that he has three prior DUI convictions dating back to 2009. Fernandez was also driving without a court-ordered interlock device along with driving under suspension and without proof of insurance.

He is expected to appear in Natrona County Circuit Court Monday afternoon.