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Weekly Police Activity Reports

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ASSAULTED BY SON

Gallup, Sept. 19

McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Roane Alan was on patrol when he received a call from dispatch regarding a female subject being physically assaulted by her son.

Alan was dispatched to a residence on the 1000 block of U.S. Highway 491, and made contact with the victim, identified as Jean Blackgoat, who described the incident involving her son Wallace Black, 36, of Yatahey.

Blackgoat said she had been physically abused by Black early on Sept. 19, including being choked and kicked in the stomach several times. She said Black had continued to harass and assault her later in the morning, including knocking her into the basement and threatening to kill her.

However, Blackgoat was able to get away from the residence and make it to U.S. Highway 491, where she was able to hitchhike to a nearby Speedway gas station, where she met with Alan. There, Alan verified a number of bruises and scratches on her body. Blackgoat said she would be able to transport herself to the nearby hospital for treatment after her son was apprehended.

Alan and McKinley County Sheriff Sgt. Anthony Morales traveled to the residence and made contact with Black, who admitted to assaulting his mother before refusing to speak to them further without a lawyer.

Black was transported to McKinley County Adult Detention Center and booked on charges of battery against a household member and aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony.

 

VEHICLE ATTACK

Gallup, Sept. 16

McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Nocona Clark was dispatched to exit 44 off I-40 in reference to a male subject who had been assaulted.

Upon arriving, Clark made contact with Jensen Jim, 55, of Thoreau, who told her he had been traveling with three individuals: Sharrie Ryan, Nancy Ryan, and someone called Mellow. They were traveling eastbound on I-40 in a cream-colored Ford, when the trio began to assault Jim for no apparent reason, he said.

Jim said they pulled over beneath a nearby overpass and continued to assault him before taking off in an unknown direction.

At first, Jim refused medical treatment by Thoreau EMS, but while en route to Gallup Detox he told Clark he was feeling light-headed and nauseous.

Clark transported Jim to RMCHCS and gave the information of the assaulters to Metro Dispatch. They were only able to find information on Sharrie Ryan, however. There were no reported arrests made.

 

BOOZE SKIP FOILED

Gallup, Sept. 18

McKinley County Sheriff Sgt. Anthony Morales was on patrol on Hwy. 66 when he noticed a female subject running out of the Speedway store at 3306 E. Hwy. 66 carrying an 18-pack of Budweiser cans. A male subject followed her out of the store and behind the building. They were identified as Briana Brown, 19, of Red Rock, and Sheldon Morris, 28, of Pinedale.

The pair got into a maroon Dodge pickup with two more subjects, Colencia Lynch, 25, of Ft. Wingate, and Edmon Begay, 48, of Jemez Pueblo. Morales was able to stop the pickup from leaving and detained all four subjects.

Morales was assisted by McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Ben Benally in obtaining the names and dates of birth of each of the subjects. Morris initially gave Benally a fake name, but eventually said his real name after Metro Dispatch informed them they were not getting any information returned with the fake name.

Morales then met with Tammy Peters, one of the gas station employees, who said Brown and Morris entered the store and picked up two cases of beer and placed them on the counter. Then Brown grabbed the 18-pack and dashed out of the store with Morris behind her.

Brown and Morris were booked into McKinley County Adult Detention Center on two charges of larceny under $100 and concealing their identities. Lynch and Begay were transported to Na’ Nizhoozhi Center, Inc. by Benally without further incident.

 

TWO-CAR CRASH

Gallup, Sept. 21

McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Nocona Clark was dispatched to the site of a crash near 120 Hwy. 608 in the vicinity of the Gallup Flea Market.

Clark spoke with the drivers of both vehicles, Kesha Bitts, of Farmington, and Nelson Yazzie, of Chinle.

Bitts said she was traveling northbound on Highway 608 when she observed a maroon Chevy attempted to make a turn onto Highway 608 at the last minute. She was unable to stop in time and the vehicle collided with her own.

Yazzie said he had been trying to turn onto Highway 608, but saw no vehicles coming so he attempted to make the turn and his vehicle smashed into Bitts’.

Several witnesses said Yazzie’s vehicle had been speeding and tried to make the turn onto Highway 608 quickly. Another witness said Bitts had been speeding. Through her investigation, Clark found Yazzie to be at fault for the crash and he was given a violation for careless driving.

Occupants of the two vehicles were transported to the nearest hospital for treatment after complaining of injuries. Both vehicles were towed.

 

INTOXICATION LEADS TO STOLEN CAR

Tohlakai, Sept. 18

A Speedway gas station near the 9 mile marker on U.S. Highway 491 put in a call to Metro Dispatch about a possible intoxicated individual loitering on the premises.

McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Ben Benally arrived onsite and made contact with the individual in question, Jack Poncho, who told Benally he and his brother were having car trouble and he was trying to get some assistance.

Poncho did have a smell of liquor on his breath, but he agreed to leave the premises and no wants or warrants turned up for his name.

Benally soon spotted a silver BMW on the side of the road with another vehicle parked in front, boosting the battery of the silver BMW. The driver was identified as Ruby Gatling, 39, of Albuquerque, who said the car belonged to her fiancé.

Afterward, Benally called in the location and license plate of the BMW. Metro Dispatch advised the vehicle came back as stolen from Albuquerque.

Gatling said she had authorization from her fiancé to use the vehicle and had agreed to return the vehicle the following morning. She admitted she did not know the vehicle was reported stolen.

One vehicle occupant, Mike Kyle, 31, of Twin Lakes, had an outstanding bench warrant and was arrested on the warrant. McKinley County Sheriff Sgt. Anthony Morales took inventory of the vehicle and had it towed.

Two other vehicle occupants, Jack Poncho and Felix Poncho, were transported to detox by Morales.

Gatling was booked into the McKinley County Adult Detention Center on charges of possessing or transferring a stolen vehicle.