George Touchine, 69, of Tohatchi, NM was arrested July 5 after he drove a vehicle into a room at the Zia Motel on east 66.

According to the criminal complaint filed by Gallup Police Department Officer Timothy Hughte, he was called to the Zia Motel around 7:44 pm and arrived there to see a black Ford passenger vehicle halfway inside of a motel room.

Touchine was in the driver’s seat, and had to climb to the backseat to get out of the vehicle. Witnesses said that they removed the keys from the vehicle after he had driven into the room a second time.

Several witnesses came forward regarding the crash, according to the complaint. One male said he was standing outside with his friend...

A man found deceased in the Rio Puerco July 5 has been identified as 61-year-old Allen Joe Begay of White Cone, Ariz.

According to Gallup Police Department Sgt. Rosanne Morrissette and Capt. Rick White, two people were walking over Munoz Overpass, looked down and saw a man’s body in the affectionately called ‘perky’ below.

“Sunday evening at about 7:15 pm, police were dispatched to the perky east of the Munoz Overpass in reference to a deceased male lying in the Rio Puerco,” White said in a press release.

The deceased body was recovered and sent to the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque, where he was identified and the cause of death was determined to be...

Lathan Antone, 25, Crownpoint, NM

Antone was arrested July 5 by McKinley County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Johnson Lee. Lee found Antone asleep behind the wheel of his pickup truck while the vehicle was running but parked in the south bound lane of Highway 491 just north of Maloney avenue. Upon waking him, Antone attempted to drive away. MCSO Deputy Arnold Noriega placed spikes in front of the vehicle to stop him. Antone’s breath test results registered at twice the legal limit at a .16, .17. He was arrested and booked into the jail for aggravated DWI; resisting, evading or obstructing an officer; having an open container; stopping, standing or parking and an outstanding...

Greg Ballenger is an 18-year-old artist who dreams of showing in a gallery in Santa Fe soon and New York City later. He is the guy seen on scaffolding painting black and white portraits of veterans in downtown Gallup.

So far, he has completed a mural for Sheila Silva on Second Street and one for Tom Hartsock in the downtown walkway.

Ballenger attended Rehoboth Christian School. He left Rehoboth after his sophomore year for Idyllwild Arts Academy in California. Idyllwild is a boarding school for aspiring artists. By completing his studies there he received a high school diploma and an art certificate.

One of the requirements to receive the art certificate was completion of a...