Mugshot of Rafael De Sala Sierra. By. THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ST. THOMAS — A man stopped at a traffic checkpoint last Friday is now in court battling DUI charges.
On June 16, officers of the Traffic Investigation Bureau were conducting stops at a checkpoint on Veterans Drive, near the Fort Christian parking lot bus stop. A red Jeep Wrangler was stopped, and once police stepped to the driver’s side window, they said they smelled alcohol coming from Rafael De Sala Sierra.
After they instructed him to turn off his engine, police noticed that the Jeep began to roll backwards, and hastily reminded Sierra that he had to shift gears into park and then turn the engine off. He then obeyed instructions to get out of the vehicle, reportedly staggering as he did so.
With one officer translating the proceedings into Spanish, police conducted the standardized field sobriety tests, two of which he was not able to successfully complete. After declining to submit to the chemical intoximeter test, Sierra was taken to the Traffic Investigation Bureau and arrested for driving under the influence.
After his appearance in court on Monday June 19, Rafael De Sala Sierra was granted conditional release ahead of trial. However, the details have not yet been made available by the court as of press time.
The arraignment hearing for Mr. Sierra is scheduled for July 21, 2023.
