An accident occurred on Interstate 40 on Nov. 27, when one vehicle rear-ended and clipped a second vehicle, after the driver dropped an item and was distracted from the road. Both vehicles were traveling at about 60 MPH. The vehicle that was struck had its hazard lights on, as the driver was slowing down and attempting to exit the interstate. Neither driver was injured, but both cars sustained heavy damage.
A fire broke out on the Mariano Lake Loop on Nov. 26. McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Nocona Clark reported to the scene early in the morning, at 4:01 am. One of the occupants of the building told Clark that he had tried to pull his mother out of the burning house but the roof collapsed onto her, according to the police report. Clark and a second deputy went on to follow tracks leading from the burning home to a trailer about 200 feet east of the residence, finding it abandoned and filled with empty beer cans.
Another accident, this time between vehicle and pedestrian, occurred on Nov. 24, 6:01 pm on State Highway 118 and Delta Street. The pedestrian was intoxicated and walking in the middle of the street, according to the police report. The driver tried to swerve but his passenger side mirror hit the pedestrian in the back of the head. The passenger suffered a small cut on the back of the head and was taken to the hospital.
GANG ROBBERY
A woman was on her way to Family Dollar on Nov. 21 at about 1 pm when two men and a woman “came up behind her and kicked her down,” according to the police report. The suspects punched, kicked and robbed her, taking with them a 12- inch gold colored necklace, a gold collared bracelet, a watch and her baseball cap.
The victim told Gallup Police Department officers that she saw the thieves walking southbound. GPD Officer Steven Peshlakai then located Marlon Johnson, 27, Linda Ann Keith, 36, and Fred Jesse, 33, who had items in their possession matching the victim’s descriptions.
The victim saw Johnson, Keith and Jesse outside of the police station, and confirmed that they were her attackers, according to the police report. The three suspects were then placed under arrest for robbery and tampering with evidence.
PEDESTRIAN VS VEHICLE
The man killed while attempting to cross U.S. 491 on Nov. 21, has been identified as Reuben Begay, 65, of Fort Defiance, Ariz. GPD Capt. Marinda Spencer said the driver that struck Begay cooperated with police, and did not appear to be impaired in any way.
The man was struck in the northbound lanes on 491, near the intersection of Coal Basin Road.
