GUN THREAT
5/9, Gallup
Multiple Gallup Police Department officers arrived to a home on 107 E. Hill in response to a man threatening another man with a gun. According to police reports, the man with the gun was Darrell Deschene of Gallup. He also reportedly had a knife on him as well.
The reported victim told police that he was in the house, with the door locked, and was arguing with his girlfriend when Deschene reportedly kicked in the door and was holding a gun with his right hand outside of his left hip unholstered. The victim then closed the door on Deschene and called the police.
Since Deschene, 23, didn’t possess a New Mexico concealed weapons permit, he was booked for unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon, and breaking and entering.
JUST MESSY
5/7, Gallup
GPD Officer Dewayne Holder and multiple officers responded to what appears from the report a dispute that spiraled out of control on Pershing Avenue. It started with one lady accusing an ex-boyfriend of breaking into her home and striking her.
The angry ex-girlfriend proceeded to grab an antique rifle and make her way toward Arthur Chavarria, who was outside. But, the woman’s teen brother grabbed the rifle before things could get any worse. Chavarria was holding a brick, and the teen boy reportedly threatened to shoot him, although the Carcano Model 1891 calvary carbine rifle chamber was empty.
Next, the teen and Chavarria both resorted to baseball bats, but the teen winded up getting struck in the ribs. Chavarria had also allegedly hit his sister, maybe on accident, when he was fighting with the teen. Overall, Chavarria, 40, was determined to be the aggressor based off eyewitness reports. He was booked for aggravated burglary, battery against a household member, criminal damage to property, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, and abuse of a child.
BELLIGERENT
5/6, Gallup
McKinley County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Arnold Noriega said that while traveling on north U.S. Route 491, Mervin Benally was crossing the road and doing so recklessly, as numerous vehicles had swerved to avoid hitting him. According to his report, Noriega stopped, handcuffed Benally, then placed him in the back of his patrol unit to take him detox.
From there, things turned nasty as Benally unclasped his seatbelt, lunged toward the separation screen, spitting on the front seat passenger. Noreiga stopped the vehicle, and proceeded to put the seatbelt back on Benally. But, he once again removed the seatbelt, and the spitting at the passenger resumed.
Noriega pulled over again, as, Benally, 24, was out of control. He placed him on the ground where he tried kicking the deputy. After he warned Benally to stop kicking, but to no avail, Noreiga drive stunned Benally in his right shoulder blade with his taser.
While en-route to the jail, Benally told Noreiga that he was on probation for extreme cruelty to animals and requested that his probation officer be notified about this incident. He was booked for assault on a peace officer and battery.
NERVOUS DRIVER
5/5, Gallup
When GPD Terrance Peyketewa was working “distracted driving detail,” he noticed a gray, small sedan speeding eastbound on Maloney. Peyketewa also noted that the driver, Francisco Cantu, made a lane change without signaling. The officer pulled him over, and noted that Cantu was stooped over the center console, and was shaking.
The officer could smell the aroma of marijuana wafting from the vehicle, and according to the report, Cantu gave up the goods – a pipe and a bag of leafy greens. Peyketewa stated that Cantu seemed increasingly nervous, so he called a narcotics agent to further search the vehicle, and took Cantu, 39, to jail where he was booked for marijuana possession, drug paraphernalia, and traffic violations.
MULTIPLE ARRESTS
4/28, Gallup
As GPD detectives Steven Collins and Nicola Martinez worked a stolen vehicle turned drug case at the Arrowhead Lodge, 1115 E. Highway 66, Officers Luke Martin and Dewayne Holder were there as back up. The vehicle in question, a black Ford Explorer, was reported stolen April 15.
According to Luke’s report, the detectives noticed that one of the suspects had access to the vehicle. With that noted, the three suspects in this case: Louis Garcia, 50, Edmond, Bitsie, 37, and Elrena Cook, 34, were being questioned by detectives. Luke stated in his report that there appeared to be a black rifle type firearm in the room, but it was possibly a replica of gun.
The occupants were handcuffed, taken out of the room, and asked to sit on the sidewalk. Luke wrote in his report that Garcia dropped several items on the ground, which appeared to be heroin, methamphetamine, and some sort of pills. Garcia reportedly had several social security and credit cards in his wallet with different names on them.
Cook had syringes in her pocket and appeared intoxicated, so she was placed under arrest. And Bitsie had a syringe in his pocket that had a clear liquid in it, and appeared intoxicated, so he was placed under arrest.
Garcia was booked for receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle; two counts of possession of a controlled substance; and for trying to conceal his real identity to police. Both Bitsie and Cook were each charged with one count of drug paraphernalia.
