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Office of the District Attorney P. David Soares Stephen Barrera Sentenced to 1 2/3 to 5 for DWI ALBANY , NY – District Attorney P. David Soares today announced that STEPHEN W. BARRERA, 41, of 7 Deerpath Drive , Schenectady , NY was sentenced to 1 2/3 to 5 years in State Prison by the Honorable Thomas A. Breslin. BARRERA had pled guilty to one count of Operating a Motor Vehicle while Under the Influence of Alcohol on August 4, 2005 . BARRERA was arrested on July 15, 2005 after an off-duty Officer of the Guilderland Police Department noticed his car “all over the road” traveling eastbound on State Route 20 in the Town of Guilderland . The off-duty Officer, Officer Stallmer, followed the vehicle and alerted Officer Minette by cell phone. Officer Minette arrived on the scene and pulled BARRERA over. When Officer Minette approached the car, he observed BARRERA pouring the contents of a beer can into the back seat of the car. When ordered out of the car, BARRERA had difficulty standing and had to be restrained to prevent him from falling into the traffic lane. BARRERA refused to participate in a field blood alcohol test and was arrested. Back at the station, BARRERA twice refused to take a chemical test but after a third warning did participate in a breathalyzer test. He blew a .26% more than three times the legal limit of 0.08%. While in police custody, BARRERA proceeded to try to persuade other DWI suspects to refuse to take any tests. He also managed to grab his file which he threw to the floor while trying to rip up its contents. Additionally BARRERA was verbally abusive to the desk Sergeant on duty. DA Soares praised the Officers of the Guilderland Police Force for their professionalism and forbearance and for going the extra mile to get this menace off the roads. He also pointed out that there is no need for anyone to have to drive drunk. “In a time when cab service is broadly available, in a city in which CDTA provides service throughout the region, where cell phones to call for a ride are ubiquitous, driving under the influence of any substance is inexcusable,” he said. Back to Press Releases For further information contact: Richard Arthur
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