The McKinley County Sheriff’s Office investigated a car crash near David Skeets Elementary School in which one of the occupants died July 13.

The name of the victim was not in the report since the accident took place on reservation land and the case was turned over to the Navajo Police Department to investigate.

The sheriff’s office did write up a backup report which said deputies responded to the call that came in about 9 pm. When deputies arrived at the scene at Jones Ranch Road, 6 miles west of State Highway 602, they found a white pickup had crashed into a tree. There was no one in the driver’s seat and deputies found footprints leading away from the vehicle.

One of the passengers, identified as Alexandea Bitsui, no age or address, had been partially ejected with the lower portion of her body was crushed inside the vehicle. She had a laceration on her left cheek and deputies noticed that skin was hanging down.

There was another passenger inside the vehicle who had been pushed way back into the cab from the impact. She was unresponsive and deputies were not able to find a pulse.

Deputies reported that it was raining at the time and Bitsui was going in and out of consciousness. An attempt was made to talk to her to get the name of the driver but all she said was “walking.”

Rescue personnel had to use the Jaws of Life to get the occupants of the vehicle out. When Bitsui was removed, it was discovered that her lower right leg was broken.

At that point, the Navajo Police took over the investigation.