FARMINGTON, N.M. – A Farmington police officer found himself on the other side of the law. He was booked on DWI charges following a crash. 

Bloomfield Police Department Deputy Chief Randon Matthews was off duty when he called San Juan County dispatch last Thursday. He reported a white SUV had nearly hit him before going off the road. 

According to court documents, the white Jeep crossed four lanes of traffic and almost hit Matthews head-on before crashing.

11 minutes later, San Juan County deputies found the Jeep in a ditch on the side of the road. 

Deputies say Officer Robert Shuttleworth with the Farmington Police Department was behind the wheel. Two small children were reportedly in the back seat.

According to court documents, a breathalyzer test put Shuttleworth’s blood alcohol content at .26.

He was booked into jail on multiple charges including aggravated DWI, leaving the scene of an accident, and failure to maintain a traffic lane.

EMS was called to check out the children. According to FPD Chief Steve Hebbe, no one was hurt. 

“While we are relieved that there were no reported injuries, I sincerely apologize to the community. This incident does not reflect the values and dedication of the men and women who serve the citizens of Farmington every day,” said Hebbe in a statement.

Shuttleworth has been with FPD since 2018. He’s now on administrative leave.

The pretrial hearing is scheduled for 8 a.m. on March 28.

Chief Hebbe shared the following statement regarding the arrest:

“Last Thursday night, the Farmington Police Department was made aware of the arrest of Robert Shuttleworth by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office in connection with an off-duty incident. In response, the department has placed him on administrative leave pending further investigation.

The Farmington Police Department holds its employees to the highest standards of conduct, both on and off duty. The charges are deeply concerning and do not represent the values we uphold. We take these matters very seriously, and I am deeply disappointed this occurred.

While we are relieved that there were no reported injuries, I sincerely apologize to the community. This incident does not reflect the values and dedication of the men and women who serve the citizens of Farmington every day.”