SANTA FE, N.M. – Actor Wes Studi, known for his roles in Dances with Wolves and The Last of the Mohicans, was arrested early Friday for aggravated drunken driving in New Mexico, Santa Fe police confirmed.
According to a criminal complaint, Studi, 66, was arrested around 1 a.m. Friday while at a stop sign. The actor was in a 2005 black Volvo with two front tires blown out, police said.
The complaint said that before officers arrived, a witness saw Studi try to “repair the vehicle’s damaged tires in the middle of the road without the vehicle lights on.”
When an officer asked Studi to step out of the car, the complaint said Studi “needed to use the vehicle to keep his balance and then stumbled to (the officer’s) patrol vehicle.”
Officers at the scene said Studi slurred his speech and his breath smelled of alcohol.
Santa Fe police spokeswoman Celina Westervelt said Studi refused breath, field and blood tests. He was booked into jail on an aggravated DWI charge.
In April, Studi became the second Native American inducted into the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s Hall of Great Western Performers in Oklahoma City.
The Santa Fe resident is also known for his roles as the Apache leader in Geronimo: An American Legend and Navajo detective Joe Leaphorn in the made-for-TV movies based on mysteries by the late New Mexican writer Tony Hillerman.
It was not known if he had an attorney.
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