Former deportee faces forgery charge after being arrested

Published 12:12 pm Wednesday, July 28, 2010

A man residing in Austin who was deported last year faces a felony forgery charge after a Sunday DWI stop.

Juan Gabriel Rodriguez-Gallardo, 36, also faces single counts of second-degree DWI and driving after suspension. He is in Mower County custody and awaits a court date.

According to a criminal complaint, an Austin police officer was driving behind Rodriguez-Gallardo’s vehicle at around 2 a.m. The officer noticed the car swerve and cross the centerline about four times, so a stop was initiated in the 1700 block of Fourth Street Northwest.

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When the officer approached the driver, he noticed a strong odor of alcohol on his breath. The driver also had bloodshot, watery eyes, the complaint states. The driver provided a Mexican driver’s license.

After registering a 0.28 blood-alcohol level — more than three times the legal limit — Rodriguez-Gallardo was arrested. On his way to jail, he became more aggressive and threatening toward the officer, the complaint states.

At the jail, the officer checked with dispatch about Rodriguez-Gallardo. That office reported that he had a criminal history under the name “Saul Ortega Cardenas.” Dispatch also reported that Rodriguez-Gallardo has a Minnesota ID in the “Cardenas” name.

According to records, “Cardenas” is the registered owner of Rodriguez-Gallardo’s vehicle. However, “Cardenas” has a suspended license, the complaint states. “Cardenas” is also listed as a registered sex offender in California.