Shortly before 6 pm, Jan. 2, McKinley County Sheriff’s deputies responded to call to a home on the 200 block of Summit. A Native American male identified as Phelen McThomas, 36 from Kayenta, Ariz. was found deceased outside.

Undersheriff James Maiorano says foul play has been ruled out. A sheriff’s spokesman said investigators don’t believe the man’s death was weather-related. This was all the information they provided to the Sun. We will provide updates as they become available.

McKinley County Sheriff Sgt. Tammy Houghtaling and several deputies were dispatched to the Grand Canyon Trailer Park in Gamerco Jan. 3 in connection with a report of several intoxicated people.

When she arrived, she approached the driver, who was identified as Naomi Hayes, 32, of Mentmore. Houghtaling said she could smell alcohol coming from inside the vehicle.

Hayes said she had not been drinking, but Houghtaling said she could smell liquor on her breath. When Houghtaling told her this, she said she had been drinking earlier. She added that she had gone to her sister’s house to pick up a lighter she had forgotten.

The ground was snowy, but the snow was melting so Houghtaling...

CONSTRUCTION LARCENY

Churchrock, Dec. 24

When security guard Cody Manygoats arrived at his worksite on Pipeline Road about 4:30 pm, he realized a number of cardboard boxes containing numerous plastic pipes and industrial sandbags were empty. He spoke with one of his coworkers who said nothing had been taken when he was on watch, so the items had gone missing between their shifts.

Manygoats called the incident into McKinley County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Savannah Williams met with Manygoats about the incident. He estimated about 20 sandbags had been taken along with the plastic pipes.

There are no suspects.

 

STORE VANDALISM

Ya-ta-hey, Dec. 23

McKinley County Sheriff’s...

TYLER JOHNSON

Dec. 24, 11:17 pm

DWI

McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Shirley was dispatched to the McKinley West Fire Department, 124 W. Hwy. 118, in reference to a drunk driver.

Shirley made contact with the caller, Ernestine Gordon, who told him the suspect vehicle had hit her car earlier. While enroute to the location where the driver was last seen, Shirley was advised a vehicle was parked on Beta Street and the driver was having difficulty standing and appeared to be ill.

When Shirley arrived at the scene on Beta Street, he saw a tan Chevrolet truck that matched the description of the vehicle given to him by Gordon. Shirley made contact with the driver, Tyler...