WATER HEATER FIRE
Thoreau, April 13

A couples’ water heater went up in flames and led them to call the fire department one morning.

On April 13, at 8:39 am, McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Davis Jr. responded to a structural fire at 22 Johnson Road on N.M. Hwy. 612 in Thoreau.

He arrived around 9:00 am and found a Thoreau fire truck and other personnel on the scene. Smoke was still coming out of a bedroom located at the east end of the mobile home.

When Davis met with the homeowners they said no one had gotten hurt.

The fire was contained. The staff on scene said a water heater near the couples’ bedroom caused the fire. Davis took photos of the house and the heater.

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Orel Begay
Nov. 21, 2020, 8:45 pm
Aggravated DWI

Gallup Patrolman Nicole Diswood was dispatched to South Strong and East Highway 66 in reference to a drunk driver. She arrived at the scene and met the driver, Orel Begay, 33, of Fort Defiance, Ariz., after his vehicle had to be stopped by another officer.

Diswood began talking with Begay, noting he had bloodshot eyes and slurred his speech. He had difficulty exiting the vehicle and then refused to take the standard field sobriety tests. Begay also said he had chewing tobacco he was unable to spit out, so he was unable to give a portable breath test.

Begay was transported to Gallup Police Department, where he was able to give...

SEEKING MAN WITH SHOPPING BASKET
Thoreau, April 3

A shoplifter is still at large after stealing items from a local Dollar General.

On April 3 around 12:24 pm, Deputy Ivan Tsethlikai Jr. with the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the Thoreau Dollar General at 88 Hwy. 371 because a caller had reported a shoplifting incident.

The store manager Rena Williams told Tsethlikai that an unknown man came into the store, picked up a basket, and started shopping. He asked to see a Samsung Galaxy A01 prepaid cellphone and put it into his basket along with other store items.

When Williams went to another aisle the man walked out of the store with the basket. Williams stated...

Gininka Watson
April 6, 3:40 pm
Aggravated DWI

A call came into Metro Dispatch about a female driver passed out at the wheel of a black Hyundai with the engine running in the parking lot of the Speedway store at 1068 Hwy. 602 in Vanderwagen. McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Terence Willie arrived at the scene and found the vehicle in question.

Willie knocked on the window to wake the driver, Gininka Watson, 28, of Zuni, who appeared disoriented. Another passenger was also passed out in the passenger seat. Willie observed an open container of vodka in the front seat. As he spoke with Watson, he noted she had bloodshot eyes and the vehicle smelled of alcohol.

Watson said she had...