Man, charged with DWI,
had child in vehicle
Now couple face child abuse charges

By Philip Stake
Staff writer

GALLUP — McKinley County Deputy Merle Bates arrested a Mentmore couple for child abuse last Sunday after finding their 5-year-old daughter in the back seat of a truck while the two were drunk in the front seat.

According to the incident report, Bates noticed a man asleep behind the wheel of a pickup parked in the area of Tropics Bar in Gamerco. The man, later identified as Duane Francisco, said he was resting, although the key was in the ignition. Bates conducted a sobriety test, which Francisco failed.

Soon Darlene Francisco approached the passenger side carrying an undisclosed amount of Natural Light beer. Bates reports that Darlene Francisco’s eyes were bloodshot and twitching involuntarily. Asked if she’d been drinking, Darlene Francisco said she hadn’t, but soon admitted to consuming three cans of beer.

Darlene Francisco agreed to a breathalyzer, which showed her breath-alcohol content to be .12. The legal limit is .08.

The child’s brother arrived to take his sister home. The couple arrived at McKinley County Adult Detention Facility in time for booking on charges of aggravated DWI and child abuse — the latter charge for allegedly endangering the life of a child.