Augustine Benally
Dec. 10, 2:38 am
Aggravated DWI

McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Frank Villa was stationed near the 3 Mile Marker of U.S. Highway 491 when he heard a loud bang that sounded like a car collision.

He found a gold Buick Encore parked in the northbound lane of the highway with its hazard lights on. A man was seen getting out of the car. He was identified as Augustine Benally, 32, no address listed.

Villa met Benally and had him wait inside his unit while he went to check for other passengers, finding none. He then spoke with Benally and noticed the smell of alcohol coming from him. Benally said he drank two beers prior to driving and he was coming from Sammy...

BABY CLOTHES DISGUISE

Gallup, Dec. 9

A black Chrysler Pacifica van was seen speeding near the 25.5-mile marker of Interstate 40. When McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Salazar stopped it, he saw a large box,  displaying the picture of a car seat in the back cargo area.

The driver, Edward Malone, 41, no address listed, said he had rented the van and proceeded to look up the rental agreement on his phone, without success. He did provide an ID. Malone said he was traveling to Tennessee to see family and although he said he picked the van up in Texas, his itinerary showed his trip started in Yucca Valley, Calif.

As he spoke, Salazar noticed Malone appeared visibly nervous...

A call for a domestic dispute led to deputies being assaulted by a suspect.

McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Shirley arrived at the residence on Portal Avenue in Gamerco about 6:29 pm on Dec. 12. He met the calling party, who told him her husband, Joseph Harker, 37, of Gamerco, went to Kirkland to pick up their children. However, she said her oldest daughter had to drive the children home and pick her up from work because her husband sounded intoxicated.

The caller said she and her husband began arguing on the drive back to their residence. She told him to get out of the vehicle, but he refused, and it escalated when they got back to Gamerco and she wanted him removed from...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Brodie Coonsis, 28, of Zuni, N.M., and an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, pleaded guilty on Dec. 27 in federal court to second-degree murder in Indian Country.

According to the plea agreement and other court documents, Coonsis shot and killed John Doe on Feb. 26 at John Doe’s residence in Zuni. Coonsis, who had been using drugs and was upset with John Doe, travelled to the victim’s house on the Pueblo of Zuni. After John Doe opened the door, Coonsis fired his shotgun four times as he followed the victim up the stairs, eventually killing him.

Coonsis is currently in custody pending his sentencing, which has not been scheduled. He faces up to life in...