A repeat drunk driver with multiple aliases was ordered held on high bail at his arraignment Tuesday in Suffolk Superior Court, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley announced.

NEFTALI PASTRANA (D.O.B. 8/24/53) was indicted Aug. 9 on a charge of operating under the influence of liquor as a fifth or subsequent offense and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, but eluded authorities until last week when Boston Police arrested him. Pastrana, who has previously been convicted of OUI offenses in Marlboro and Framingham District Courts, was ordered held on $10,000 cash bail.

Pastrana was scheduled to appear at West Roxbury District Court on July 11 in connection with two open cases – including one from 2002 charging him with leaving the scene of an accident – but he failed to appear. A warrant for his arrest issued instead, and Boston Police officers arrested him last week.

Speaking at Suffolk Superior Court, Assistant District Attorney David McGowan said that at about 3:45 p.m. on June 7, a Boston Police officer responded to the scene of a motor vehicle collision at 4175 Washington St. where a 72-year-old West Roxbury woman driving her 1998 Toyota Corolla was allegedly rear-ended by the defendant in his 1996 Jeep Cherokee.

Upon speaking with Pastrana, McGowan said, the officer noted a strong odor of alcohol on his breath and observed that the defendant had glassy eyes. When the officer asked Pastrana if he had consumed any alcoholic beverages, the defendant first responded “No” then allegedly stated that he had one beer.
When the officer asked him where he had been drinking, the defendant allegedly pointed down Washington Street and said “at the liquor store.” The officer further noted that during this conversation, Pastrana’s speech was slurred, McGowan said.

Pastrana failed all of the officer’s field sobriety tests, including the recitation of the alphabet. When told to start with the letter D and stop at L, the defendant allegedly recited “D, L, E, M” before giving up and saying, “I’m not as smart as you, I can’t do it.”

Before being placed in the police cruiser, the officer recovered two full “nip” bottles of E&J Brandy in the defendant’s pocket and three empty Miller High Life cans in a brown paper bag in the back seat of Pastrana’s Jeep.

Pastrana is represented by attorney Paul J. Davenport. He is expected to return to court on November 21.