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...

Week ending Friday, December 24, 2021


Arctic Beavers

Beavers are slowly migrating farther north into the Arctic due to the warming climate, producing what a new U.S. government report says is a “significant impact” on the landscape.  NOAA’s Arctic Report Card 2021 says western Alaska has seen a doubling of its beaver population to more than 12,000 during the past 20 years, compared to none between 1949 and 1955. Their dams are increasing surface water and adding to the rate of permafrost melt, which in turn releases the greenhouse gases methane and carbon dioxide. The ponds are also said to be helping new fish and invertebrate species move in.

Earthquakes

A temblor along the...

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...