Oakdale Man Faces First-Degree DWI Penalty After Stopping and Offering to Help Cop

An Oakdale man was charged with DWI last week after stopping to offer help to an Oakdale police officer.

Carlos J. B. Ramirez, 29, of Oakdale, faces a penalty consistent with first-degree DWI in connection with the Nov. 13 incident.

Just after midnight that Sunday, Ramirez pulled up behind an Oakdale patrol vehicle that was stopped with its emergency lights on in the 7100 block of 10th Street, according to the Washington County District Court Complaint. The officer was assisting a motorist, the complaint says. Ramirez walked up to the officer, identified himself, said he worked as a loss prevention officer and then asked if the officer needed help pushing the vehicle, the complaint says.

Police knew of Ramirez, because they had been looking for him in connection with a different case earlier in the day, according to the complaint.

Ramirez smelled of alcohol and had trouble speaking, the complaint says. He failed field sobriety tests and a preliminary breath test showed an alcohol concentration of .19, the complaint says.

Ramirez faces a first-degree DWI penalty because he has had three prior alcohol-related incidents within the last 10 years, the complaint says. He was convicted of DWI in New Mexico in 2008, and arrested twice for third-degree DWI this September, the complaint says.

Ramirez’ initial appearance in court is scheduled Dec. 1. He faces a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and $14,000 in fines, according to the complaint.