FOUL MOUTH
Thoreau, July 19
McKinley County Sheriff Deputy Ben Benally was dispatched to the 371 Bridge in Thoreau and advised that a male subject was at the base of Thoreau EMS shouting obscenities and profanity at people, and refusing to leave. Metro Dispatch informed Benally en route that the subject was also waving an axe head at passing motorists.
Benally reached the area of First Avenue and 371 Bridge and made contact with Shawn Patrick White, 32, of Milan, who told Benally he wasn’t doing anything and had no weapons on him.
The person who reported White to Metro said he had come into their place of business and begun yelling obscenities at people. The caller then chased him out of the building and he walked over to the bridge where he continued to shout at passersby.
Benally placed White under arrest for disorderly conduct, and he was transported to McKinley County Adult Detention Center for booking.
GAS STATION BREAK-IN
Gamerco, July 17
McKinley County Sheriff Deputy Clayton Etsitty was dispatched to the Gas Max station, 516 U.S. Hwy. 491, in reference to an audible alarm that was set off at the station. The alarm company informed Metro Dispatch there was a window break and activity near the cash registers.
When Etsitty arrived on-scene, he noticed a window on the north side was broken. The window was part of the door, and Etsitty noted there was a large rock on the ground next to the door.
MCSO Deputy Paul Davis Jr. arrived and assisted Etsitty with the investigation. After securing the perimeter, the two deputies crawled through the broken door to check the building.
Etsitty noted the cash drawers were empty, and the door to a commercial-size freezer was not secure, as if it were left open. Etsitty opened the door to the freezer and spotted a male subject, who began walking toward him.
After telling the subject to stop or he would shoot, Etsitty cuffed the subject and took him to Davis before going back and securing the rest of the building.
Etsitty patted down the subject, identified as Tyrone Peterson, 18, of Sheep Springs, and then placed him in the back of his unit.
Etsitty then made contact with the store manager, Burk James, who reviewed the surveillance footage of the incident. The subject on the footage matched the outfit Peterson was wearing and showed him throwing an object at the station entrance and crawling inside. After seeing the cash drawers were open and empty, Peterson proceeded to take several items from the shelves and walk into the freezer area.
When asked what he was doing there, Peterson said he was going home to Sheep Springs when he stopped at the station and said a man wearing a mask had broken the door and helped him get inside. This masked person then fled in an unknown direction, Peterson said.
Peterson was transported to McKinley County Adult Detention Center and booked on burglary charges.
PURSE STOLEN, RETURNED
Gallup, July 12
Gallup Police Officer Joe Roanhorse was dispatched to the Cracker Barrel at 1480 W. Maloney Ave. on July 12 at 7:10 pm in reference to a larceny report.
An employee said a male stole a purse from the business. The male was described as tall, thin, wearing a red polo shirt and black jeans, carrying a backpack. The employee said the male concealed the purse in the backpack. He said the male was last seen walking toward Walmart.
Roanhorse said he noticed a male fitting the description in the parking lot of Home Depot. The male was later identified as Fritzgerald Jones.
Jones admitted he took the purse. He said he wanted to sell it for money. He pulled a greenish turquoise bag out of his back pack, with a price tag on it of $39.99.
Jones was detained and returned to Cracker Barrel.
Employee Stephanie Esquibel said she noticed Jones walking around the store and carrying something in his arms as he left. She said she walked outside to watch him and saw him conceal a purse in his backpack, while walking away.
The purse was returned and Esquibel identified the bag.
Jones was released. He was not intoxicated. He was cooperative. He will be summoned to Municipal Court for a single count of shoplifting.
SLAP MEANS JAIL
Gallup, July 12
It was about 1 am on July 13 that Gallup Police Officer Luke Martin was dispatched to 323 Country Club Dr. about a report of an intoxicated male outside the house.
Martin met with complainant Shaylynn Salas and her husband Felix Salas outside the residence. Neither reported any injuries or requested emergency medical attention. Their child, Z. Salas, was asleep in a vehicle. Both parties were separately interviewed.
Felix Salas said he and his wife were arguing earlier and that he was drinking alcohol. When asked about any physical abuse, the husband said his wife slapped him once across the right side of his face. Martin saw no marks.
Shaylynn said the arguing began around 4 pm and then she left for church. She said her husband chose not to go and stayed at home. The wife said when she returned around 11 pm, her husband was inside and appeared to be drinking. When she asked him about it, she said he walked up to her and blew his breath in her direction. She said she smelled alcohol on his breath. She said she then slapped her husband on the face.
Martin asked Shaylynn Salas why she slapped her husband. She said it was because he was drinking and she was angry.
Shaylynn was arrested and charged with battery upon a household member. She arranged for her sister, Roxanne Sandoval, to pick up the couple’s child, Z. Felix Salas remained at home. He said he did not want to file charges against his wife. Shaylynn Salas was taken into custody and transported to the McKinley County Adult Detention Center for booking.
WOMAN BEATEN
Gallup, July 11
Gallup Police Officer Norman Bowman responded at 12:35 pm, July 11 to a call from a Flagstaff Medical Center employee who said a patient transported from Gallup Indian Medical Center wanted to make a report.
Bowman spoke with a woman named Kerry Norton, who said that late in the afternoon on July 8, she was with her common law husband, identified by her as Larrison Hunch, in room 5 of the Red Wood Lodge.
She said that Hunch began to accuse her of taking his personal stash of liquor and cussing at her. She said he was acting strangely and then said he punched her in the face and several times on the back of her head.
She said Hunch forcefully removed her pants and threw her to the floor and then got on top of her while she was face down, and stuck his knee on the back of her neck. She said he grabbed and scratched her face and punched her upper back continually. Then, she said, he grabbed a pillow and tried to smother her.
Norton said he stopped for a while and they both walked to Taco Bell. While there, she tried to let employees know she needed help. She said a young male employee asked if she was okay, but she did not want Hunch to find out she was trying to get help.
She said Hunch walked off and an employee called 911 for her, so she waited around the business. She said she did not have a cell phone. She said Hunch took it from her earlier and checks it regularly for messages or calls she receives.
She said the police did not show up, so she returned to Red Wood Lodge. Hunch came back later, but she did not allow him into the room. She told Hunch that she had called police. She said he then left the area.
Norton remained in the room all night. The next morning, she walked to the east side of town and at some point she blacked out. When she woke up, she was being treated at the GIMC emergency room.
She said the next day she was taken to the Flagstaff Medical Center and said she suffered a fractured neck and was waiting for further testing or treatment.
Bowman completed an arrest warrant for Larrison Hunch for aggravated battery against a household member.
