Staff Reports
SAN JUAN COUNTY - On Feb. 24, at about 11:45 am, the New Mexico State Police investigated a fatal crash on County Road 7150 about half a mile west of U.S. 550 near Bloomfield. The initial investigation indicates a 2003 Jeep, driven by Candace Jim, 40, of Farmington, was traveling east on County Road 7150.
The Jeep crossed the west lanes of CR 7150 then overcorrected causing it to roll. In addition to the driver, there were three children in the back seat and twenty-five-year-old Aaron Yazzie of Bloomfield in the front passenger seat.
All three of the children were ejected from the vehicle, two six-year-old twins and a nine-year-old female. The male twin sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased on the scene. The female twin was air lifted to a trauma center for life threatening injuries. The nine year old female was treated for injuries not believed to be life threatening. Both Jim and Yazzie were treated for serious injuries.
The New Mexico State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit was called in to assist in the investigation. Alcohol was determined to be a factor in the crash.
Candace Jim is being charged with:
- DWI (Fourth Offense),
- Abuse of a Child Resulting in Death
- Abuse of a Child Resulting in Great Bodily Harm (Two Counts)
- Reckless Driving
Failure to use Child Restraint (Two Counts)
Open Container
- Aaron Yazzie is being charged with:
- Abuse of a Child Resulting in Death
- Abuse of a Child Resulting in Great Bodily Harm (Two Counts)
- Failure to Use Seatbelt.
For the privacy of the family, names of the children will not be released by the State Police. The crash is still under investigation and no additional information is available at this time.
