Socorro officers starstruck arresting ex-UFC fighter Sanchez on DWI

Socorro police arrested former UFC fighter Diego Sanchez on a DWI charge after he failed a breathalyzer test at a gas station near California Street. Sanchez was already on probation for a firearms offense that barred him from drinking, putting that sentence at risk.

The arrest happened Sept. 7, when officers responded to the gas station and watched Sanchez stumble before getting behind the wheel, according to lapel video of the stop.

“Alright, Mr. Sanchez. I’m just gonna ask you a question. Just be straight up with me. How much have you had to drink today? Are you willing to do some tests to make sure you’re okay to drive?” an officer asked.

Sanchez eventually agreed to a breathalyzer. “Yeah, aggravated, but barely. Right there. It’s unfortunate, but this is what it is,” an officer said of the results.

Sanchez blew a .18 and .17, more than twice the legal limit. Officers placed him in handcuffs.

For a stretch of the stop, the arresting officers sounded like fans.

“You wanna know what’s crazy? You’re one of my favorite fighters to watch. You are,” one officer told Sanchez.

Another added: “But yeah, I got to meet my favorite UFC fighter in a way I never imagined.”

The same officer drew the line. “I don’t like to do this either. But I have to do my job,” he said.

The DWI charge is the latest legal problem for Sanchez. He had received five years of probation for shooting a gun from inside a vehicle on I-40, and one of the conditions prohibited alcohol.

Along with the DWI charge, Sanchez is facing a probation violation. His probation status and what happens next will be up to the court.