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Friday, Mar 29th

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Weekly Crime Blotter

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TRAIN-TRACK ATTACK

9/24, GALLUP

Around 5 pm, McKinley County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Salina Brown was dispatched to the Gallup Flea Market at 340 Ninth St. in reference to a male who’d been hit by a baseball bat and needed medical attention.

According to her report, at the scene, Brown found two security guards and a man with a “golf ball size knot to the middle of his forehead, busted lip, swelling and bruising to his facial area,” near the train.

The injured subject said he was walking home — south of the flea market, on the east side of the railroad tracks by an abandoned shack, according to a report — when he was attacked by three unknown males with a miniature baseball bat.

The victim told Brown he blacked out for two hours, came-to, and walked back to the flea market to ask for help. The victim was transported to a local hospital.

Brown met the victim at the hospital to interview him. The victim said he went to the flea market and bought binoculars, which he had in a front pocket. He carried “60, no $120” —and later, he said, “147.00,” according to the report — in another pocket, and thought perhaps his attackers noticed him put it there and followed him.

He was taking the trail along the tracks to his girlfriend’s house.

The attackers wore hoodies and Converse shoes. His money and his cellphone were gone when he came-to.

The victim had an outstanding warrant out for his arrest. At the scene, there was no sign of struggle, nor was a weapon found.

FIRE AND FLEE

9/20, NAVAJO NATION

At about 5:45 pm, MCSO Sgt. Robert Turney responded to a house fire, possibly with people inside the structure. Dispatch advised Turney the fire was arson, resulting from a “domestic disturbance with weapon and injury,” according to Turney’s report.

At the scene, 635 County Road 1, Turney set up a perimeter around the burning trailer. He walked around the structure to make sure the suspect had fled the scene.

The female victim was intoxicated and had “slight injuries to her face,” according to the report. She said the suspect, her boyfriend Donovan Tom, hit her in the face twice, started the fire in the trailer, and then walked away and caught a ride.

The fire was extinguished by several fire trucks.

CRAWLSPACE CRIMINAL

9/20, NAVAJO NATION

At about 4 pm, MCSO Deputy Nocona Clark was dispatched to 3.5-mile West Deer Springs Road in reference to a domestic violence case involving weapons.

Clark and others with the MCSO made contact with two individuals who the calling party said were involved. The individuals were detained and taken to the scene.

At the scene, a Navajo Police Department officer told a female to open the door; she refused. The NPD officer crawled through a window and let Clark in. The officers made contact with the female and a 13-year-old girl. The 13-year-old was put into the NPD officer’s car.

Clark found a male subject hiding in a crawlspace in the attic. The male refused commands to exit the crawlspace. The officers sprayed OC (pepper spray) into the attic. After about 20 minutes, the male climbed down, was handcuffed, and placed in the NPD officer’s vehicle.

The male subject, Donovan Barney, had a big cut on his hairline and a swollen right eye. He reportedly hit the 13-year-old, whose siblings got upset and began to fight him.

EMS transported Barney. The NPD officer took over the scene, and transported the others back to their mother.

FLUSHED

9/22, CONTINENTAL DIVIDE

At about 10:25 pm, MCSO Deputy Roxanne King was dispatched to 94A Wrangler Road in reference to a burglary that had occurred at an unknown date and time.

At the scene, King made contact with a male individual who said he was in the process of packing and moving when he noticed three rifles were missing. The victim said he had no suspects in mind, but was at his father’s on Sept. 20, from noon until 3:30 pm. When he returned, he noticed someone had used the toilet without flushing.

SHOTS FIRED

9/22, THOREAU

At about 9:50 pm, MCSO Deputy Jasmine Jaramillo was dispatched to Thoreau High School at 4 Hawk Circle in reference to shots fired.

At the scene, she spoke with a Red Rock Security guard who said he heard three gunshots coming from the football field, east of the school. There was an approximately two-second delay between shots. All three shots sounded as if they hit steel, the security guard said.

The shooter (or shooters) is unknown.

ALCOHOL-FUELED ARSON

9/20, NAVAJO NATION

At about 5:30 pm, deputies were dispatched to 239 2nd Canyon Road in reference to a structure fire.

When MCSO Lt. James Maiorano III arrived on scene, the volunteer fire department was already there. To the east of the property were the ruins of a home, “still smoking,” according to the report.

There was not much furniture in the house. Maiorano spoke with a woman who said she believed her uncle, who had been drunk earlier in the day, burned the structure down — she said she thought he got mad and set the home on fire.

The woman’s grandmother owned the house on the west side of the property. And the woman herself owned a home down the road. She worried that her uncle might go to her house. NPD took over and checked on her home; the suspect was not there.