ONLY ONLINE: Men may face deportation after being caught driving drunk on I-75

Two men may face deportation after being arrested over the weekend after a traffic stop on I-75 in southern Whitley County.
Horacioo R. Roblero, 22, and Alfredo Hernandez Silvestre, 27, remained in custody as of press time Tuesday. Both are charged with resisting arrest. Roblero is accused of DUI and Silvestre is charged with alcohol intoxication in a public place, both misdemeanor offenses.

According to Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy Ron Bowling, the two men were traveling south on I-75 in a green four-door sedan Saturday evening. He said the car had no visible license plate and was weaving from side to side on the roadway in an erratic fashion.

"They looked like a pinball going down the interstate," Bowling said. "They would have never made it to where they were going without killing somebody."

Bowling said Roblero, who was driving, exceeded speeds of over 90 mph before finally complying with police and pulling over somewhere past Exit 11.

Police said from the outset it was clear something was wrong with the two men.

"I walked up to the vehicle and tapped on the window and the guys just sat there and stared straight ahead," Bowling said. "Finally, when he rolled down the window … I noticed a very strong odor of alcohol."

Bowling said Roblero made motions like he was going to try to drive away, but was thwarted by police. Both men fought and resisted being taken into custody, but he was able to get them under control with the help of fellow deputy Ben Hodge.

Roblero and Silvestre were apparently moving the car, bought in an auto auction in London, from there to Morristown, Tenn. where the identification cards they provided to police indicated they reside. Bowling said both men told him during later interviews they are from Mexico.

Bowling said a woman pulled over and spoke with police during the traffic stop and said she knew the men and that they were helping her get the car back Morristown. She said she didn’t know the men had been drinking. The car was seized and remains impounded.

"I don’t know how you can get that drunk between London and Williamsburg," Bowling said.

A search of the vehicle found three bottles of Corona brand beer. Bowling said the men claimed to have drank about a dozen beers each. Both initially refused breath, blood and urine tests to determine blood-alcohol content. Later, Silvestre submitted to a portable breathalyzer test and was determined to be over the legal limit.

Bowling said immigration officials have been notified of the arrest and are currently investigating the case.