A Mora County man has been arrested for the 22nd time on a charge of driving while intoxicated, according to the New Mexico State Police.

Delano T. Vigil, 51, of Guadalupita was charged after a state police officer found him lying partly under his 1999 Infiniti on the side of N.M. 76 between Española and Chimayó about 5 p.m. Monday.

State police spokesman Lt. Eric Garcia said when the officer asked Vigil if he was OK, the officer realized the man was extremely intoxicated and took him to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center for treatment.

"He was coherent," Garcia said. "He showed signs of slurred speech, as might be normal for any DWI arrest, which led the officer to believe he might be driving under the influence."

Blood drawn at the hospital indicated Vigil had a blood-alcohol content of 0.392 — nearly five times the legal-driving limit for driving — making the DWI charge a felony. New Mexico's limit for presumed intoxication when driving is 0.08 percent.

Garcia said Vigil has at least five previous arrests for drunken driving in New Mexico and 16 in other states, although he did not know which other states.

Online court records indicate Vigil pleaded guilty or no contest to DWI in the following cases:

• Santa Fe in 2004
• Cuba, N.M., in 2005
• Las Vegas, N.M., in 2006

Garcia said records show Vigil faces pending DWI charges in Angel Fire and Española.

Records also indicate that DWI charges against him were dismissed in Santa Fe in 2004, 2005 and 2009, and that a DWI is still pending in Albuquerque's Metro Court.

He also has been charged over the years with aggravated assault, issuing worthless checks, domestic violence and various traffic offenses, including driving without proof of insurance, driving with an open container of alcohol and careless driving, but those charges have been dismissed, according to online records.

In Monday's case, Vigil was charged in Rio Arriba County, but taken to the Santa Fe County Detention Center.

Rachel O'Connor, Gov. Bill Richardson's "DWI czar" for five years, said Vigil's 22 arrests may seem shocking, but it is no record for New Mexico. At least two other men have had more DWIs — 26 in one case and 23 in another.

And Garcia said that although a nearly 0.4 blood-alcohol content might kill a person, Vigil sets no record in that category, either. "Around seven years ago, I remember a guy who hit 0.42 or 0.43," he said. "He was passed out on I-25 between Vegas and Albuquerque."

Garcia said Vigil was wearing a hat and jacket from Furr's Supermarkets when he was arrested, but there is no other indication he worked for the grocery chain or, if so, which store.

Vigil remained in the Santa Fe County Jail Tuesday evening.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact Tom Sharpe at 986-3080 or tsharpe@sfnewmexican.com.