MITCHELL – A Tennessee man was arrested on Friday, May 23, in Mitchell, on charges of driving while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor, and driving while never having a driver’s license, a Class C misdemeanor.
Benito Josue Morales-Barrios, 21, was incarcerated following medical clearance and a court-ordered blood draw.
Mitchell Police Chief Troy Lobosky observed a blue Dodge Dart with Tennessee plates swerving erratically while driving northbound on State Road 37 on May 23, 2025, at approximately 8:42 p.m. Chief Lobosky, who was off-duty but in his police vehicle, noticed the sedan repeatedly swerving between lanes and varying its speed.
Chief Lobosky activated his emergency lights to stop the vehicle, advised dispatch of the stop, and requested Sgt. Jake Kuhlman to his location. The driver, later identified as Morales-Barrios, continued to drive without pulling over for nearly a mile after lights were activated, only stopping after Chief Lobosky activated his siren.
Upon approaching the vehicle, Chief Lobosky immediately detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage and observed two Michelob Ultra beer cans in the passenger floorboard. The driver, who did not appear to understand requests for a driver’s license, was asked to step out of the vehicle. Chief Lobosky noted that Morales Barrios seemed unsteady on his feet, and his eyes were bloodshot and glassy.
Sgt. Jake Kuhlman arrived and, using his limited Spanish communication skills, identified the driver as Morales-Barrios and confirmed that he did not possess a driver’s license in the United States or Mexico. A portable breath test administered by Chief Lobosky showed a blood alcohol content of 0.20.
He was transported to the Lawrence County Police Department to perform Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. During an inventory of the towed vehicle, Officer Jacob McMillen located a Mexican passport belonging to Morale-Barrios.
Later, at the hospital ER for a blood draw, Morales-Barrios, after being read his implied consent rights in Spanish, refused to cooperate. Chief Lobosky obtained a search warrant for a blood draw, which was granted by Judge Nathan Nikirk.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted to determine Morales-Barrios’s status.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the Probable Cause Affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
