PUNCHING A NURSE
Gallup, April 1
A fed-up nurse at Gallup Indian Medical Center called the police after another patient physically assaulted her.
On April 1, around 9:19 pm, Gallup Police Officer Patrick Largo was dispatched to the Gallup Indian Medical Center, 516 E. Nizhoni Blvd., in response to a complaint that a patient had lashed out at a nurse.
When Largo got there he met with the nurse who explained that the alleged perpetrator, later identified as Valencia Arnett, 52, from Ganado, Ariz., had been brought in because she was intoxicated.
When the nurse met with her, Arnett was sitting in a wheelchair yelling. She tried to stand up while the nurse was grabbing some gloves off the wall.
Arnett punched the nurse in the back. The nurse tried to calmly tell Arnett to sit back down in the wheelchair. She was eventually wheeled to a room, and that’s where Largo found her asleep on the floor.
According to the criminal complaint, the victim said she wasn’t in a lot of pain, but that she wanted to report the incident because “she was tired of being battered in her work place.”
Largo arrested Arnett for battery on a health care worker. Once she was cleared from the hospital, he took her to the McKinley County Adult Detention Center. Her preliminary examination is scheduled for May 5.
STEALING SHARPIES
Gallup, March 29
Things turned violent when a man allegedly walked into an office supply store, tried to steal some Sharpie pens, and then threatened the employees with a knife.
On March 29, around 4:09 pm, Gallup Police Officer Jerald Watchman was dispatched to Butler’s Office Equipment & Supply Inc., 1900 E. Hwy. 66 because a man was threatening the employees with a knife.
When Watchman got to the scene he noticed a man, who was later identified as Jesse James, 19, from Gallup, sitting on the floor surrounded by the store’s employees. A display case had also been knocked over. Watchman placed James in his police car before going back inside to talk to the employees.
One employee stated that he saw James grab some Sharpies, and then he walked down the aisle and stuffed the pens in his pockets.
According to the employee, James then pulled out a knife and threatened to kill him. The employee grabbed James and tried to get the knife away from him. The two men fell to the ground, and the employee was able to get the knife away from James.
The employee’s dad was also at the store at the time of the incident, and tried to help his son after James threatened him with a knife.
According to Officer Watchman, James attempted to steal a pack of Sharpie pens and a Sharpie Gem marker, which cost a total of almost $64. The display that was broken cost $400.
James was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of shoplifting, and one count of criminal damage to property. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 4.
MISPLACED ANGER
Gallup, Feb. 23
On Feb. 23 Gallup Police Officer Alana Bradley was dispatched to Economy Inn, 1709 W. Hwy. 66 because of a call about property damage.
When she arrived at the scene she met with Derrick Yazzie, 32, from Vanderwagon N.M.. Officer Bradley also met with the manager of the hotel, who said that he had surveillance video of Yazzie kicking in a window at the CDL Training building, 193 U.S. Hwy 491, which the manager also owns.
Bradley watched the video, and in it she saw Yazzie kick the window on the west side of the business before walking back to his room at the Economy Inn.
Yazzie explained that he had been drinking, and that he’d caught his brother stealing his cellphone. His brother was also at the inn, and he was also drunk.
According to the criminal complaint, the manager said it would cost $1,200 to replace the window because it was a reflective window.
Yazzie was charged with criminal damage to property. His preliminary examination is scheduled for April 27.
NOSEBLEED HEADBUTT
Gallup, Nov. 10
After getting a nosebleed from a COVID swab, a man headbutted the nurse who was trying to help him.
On Nov. 10, around 12:39 am, Gallup Police Officer Vincent Thompson was dispatched to the Gallup Indian Medical Center 516 E. Nizhoni Blvd. on a call that a man had headbutted a nurse.
When Thompson arrived at the hospital, he met with UNM-Gallup Public Safety Officer Richard Perez.
Perez explained that the man he was with, Norman Nelson Jr., 27, had been getting a COVID swap when he headbutted the male nurse who was administering it.
Nelson reportedly leaned forward while he was getting the swab, and his nose had begun to bleed. The victim tried to help Nelson by using a napkin to stop the nosebleed. When the nurse went to remove the napkin, Nelson headbutted him in the right shoulder.
According to the criminal complaint, the nurse told Nelson to behave multiple times while he was swabbing his nose. The nurse explained that Nelson had been moving his head around, which led to the swab going further into his nose.
The victim said he was fine and that he didn’t need medical attention.
Nelson was arrested for battery on a healthcare worker. Thompson drove him to the McKinley County Adult Detention Center for booking. Nelson’s preliminary hearing was on April 13.
Staff Reports