Surprises, fun in store for visitors

July has arrived, which means it’s almost time for one of the signature summer events in Gallup.

WildThing Championship BullRiding will be held at Red Rock Park July 12-13. This year marks year 26 where Gallup locals and visitors get to watch what WildThing organizer Larry Peterson calls the number one open bull riding event in the southwest.

“We bring in some of the toughest bucking bulls in the world,” Peterson said in a June 26 phone call.

The riders at WildThing will compete for a share of the prize money of $28,000, with the overall winner taking a $10,000 payday, which Peterson said is one of the largest payouts in southwest...

DEAD MAN FOUND NEAR RAILROAD TRACKS

Mentmore, N. M., June 30

At 2:43 am, Deputy II Michael Harvey of the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office was advised of a man walking on the railroad tracks near Williams Acres in Mentmore, N. M.  But when he arrived at 2:46 am, all he could see was a BNSF train stopped, blocking the Defiance Draw Road crossing.  He contacted Metro dispatch to clear the call at 3:08 am.

Nineteen minutes later he was advised about a pedestrian. Harvey drove around and stopped on the north side of the railroad crossing where he saw a man waving a flashlight.  He talked to the man, Wyatt G. DeWitt.  DeWitt was standing on the south side of the tracks and stated...

Gallup Police Officer Richard Rangel III was dispatched to 201 J. M Montoya Blvd.  at 9:20 pm in reference to a possible domestic dispute.

When he arrived he saw three people by a white GMC truck.  He said the male and the small female were pulling on each other. While he parked, he saw the woman run off and the male run behind a trash can, leaving a 13-year-old  girl alone in the middle of the parking lot.  He told the male to come out, and saw that he had a cut on the right side of his head.  He had bloodshot eyes and alcohol on his breath, slurred speech and a stumbling walk. Rangel placed him in cuffs in the back of his police unit.

He questioned the young girl,  who said her...

Becky Martinez

June 9, 8:07 pm

Aggravated DWI

Gallup Patrolman Julio Yazzie was dispatched to Allsup’s South, 1801 S. Second St., in reference to a police request, when he noticed a brown Chevrolet Tahoe going west on Nizhoni Boulevard. The vehicle matched the description in the request, so Yazzie conducted a traffic stop.

Yazzie made contact with Becky Martinez, 36, of Albuquerque, who had two children in the back of her vehicle with no child seats.

Martinez agreed to take the standard field sobriety test, but had trouble following directions. Yazzie read her the implied consent advisory, but Martinez refused to be tested.

Martinez was charged with aggravated DWI, driving...