Man charged with DWI for ninth time

CLOVIS — The founder of a local halfway house was in jail Tuesday on no bond after being charged for the ninth time with driving while intoxicated.

Randall Pruit, 54, was pulled over for erratic driving Saturday near Seventh and Thornton streets, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday. He told police he had been drinking but refused to perform field sobriety tests, records show.

Pruit was arrested and booked into the Curry County Adult Detention Center just after 2:30 a.m. Saturday, charged with speeding, failure to maintain traffic lane and aggravated driving under the influence.

A motion for pretrial detention filed Monday in magistrate court said Pruit was charged with his seventh DWI in October 2003 and then again in February 2009.

DWI driving (seventh or subsequent offense) is a third-degree felony that District Attorney Andrea Reeb said Tuesday only comes to her office a few times a year.

The Eastern New Mexico News archives show Pruit went to prison for a DWI conviction and spent two years behind bars, after which he started a car business and in 2013 helped to found a halfway house for recently incarcerated men.

“He was the founder of the organization, however because of his own situation they wouldn't let him be involved in day-to-day operations,” said Yvette Gardner-Pickett, director of business development for GLU (“God Loves Underdogs”) Factory. “We wish Mr. Pruit the best and we're praying for him that he can get through this tough time.”

GLU Factory is a transitional living facility offering education and training aimed to help individuals coming out of prison or jail to reintegrate into the community, Gardner-Pickett said Tuesday.

In addition to the six-month program with 19 beds for men, GLU Factory also works with Matt 25 to provide case management and job development to anyone in need, she said.

“We have guys that went through the program that are doing well,” GLU Factory Board of Directors President Orlandus Dawson said Tuesday. “We've also seen guys relapse, and our focus there is to have different programs and people there to help them get back. That is definitely something that even is available to Mr. Pruit and we'll be reaching out to him in that capacity. It's ironic, but (starting GLU Factory) was a good idea because it does help.”

A conditional order of appointment filed Monday specified Pruit would be represented by a public defender. No such attorney was named in court records as of Tuesday.

Reeb said a prosecutor was not yet assigned to Pruit's case.

His next scheduled court appearance is a preliminary examination Nov. 2.