DISPUTE OVER FRIENDS
Gallup, Jan. 31
A call to McKinley County Sheriff’s Office early in the morning resulted in one arrest for battery.
Deputies Johnson Lee and Michael Harvey were dispatched to a residence on Coronado Boulevard after the calling party advised the suspect had left the scene in a red truck and had possibly parked on the backside of Speedway Towing near 545 Allison Rd.
The officers arrived at the Coronado address and found the suspect vehicle. They met a male who lived at the scene who told them about a female who had been hit by her boyfriend, Marcus Miller, 31, no address listed. Both parties had left the scene before Lee and Harvey arrived and they were not able to locate them.
Shortly after the officers left the address, Metro Dispatch received another call stating the two parties had returned to the scene on Coronado. Lee returned to the residence and found both of them along with the calling party.
Miller was detained while Lee spoke with the victim, whom he saw had a swollen face and lip. She told Lee that Miller had hit her but seemed hesitant to give further details. She finally did admit Miller had gotten upset with her due to people she knew and struck her in the face. She also said he had been drinking prior to the incident. The victim did not request medical care.
Lee spoke to Miller, who stated she had been hit by one of her friends. However, he appeared unsure of the answer he gave. He was placed under arrest for battery and transported to McKinley County Adult Detention Center and booked.
DRIVING A STOLEN VEHICLE
Gallup, Jan. 28
A vehicle was unable to maintain its lane on Highway 66, but that was not the reason for an arrest made by McKinley County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy Johnson Lee was traveling east on the highway about 8:13 pm when he saw a gray Dodge Neon with a New Mexico license plate driving in the center of the roadway. He activated his unit’s emergency lights and pulled the vehicle off the road into the parking lot of Busy Bee Laundry at 2010 E. Hwy. 66.
Lee notified Metro Dispatch of the stop before he met the driver, Joel Rodriguez, 40, no address listed. Rodriguez told Lee he did not have a driver’s license but searched for the remaining requested documents.
While he waited for the financial information, Lee was advised by Metro Dispatch the vehicle was coming back as stolen and was entered by Gallup Police Department. Lee then detained Rodriguez, who stated he didn’t know the vehicle was stolen.
Other passengers at the scene were detained by other MCSO officers who had arrived.
Rodriguez said he was coming from his house on the north side of Gallup but did not provide an address. He said he was going to Thoreau and when asked why he didn’t take the interstate told Lee he was going to see a friend first. Rodriguez seemed to not know who the passengers were despite saying one of them was his friend who owned the vehicle.
Based on the investigation, Lee placed Rodriguez under arrest for possessing a stolen vehicle. The real owner was contacted and MCSO deputies waited on scene for him to arrive.
TAKING THE FIREWORKS
Gallup, Jan. 26
An unidentified male wanted fireworks enough to steal them from a local gas station.
A cashier from the Gas Max station at 516 U.S. Hwy. 491 saw a male walk into the business about 4:21 pm, look around and then pick up a package of assorted fireworks valued about $122. He then exited the business through the side door and got into the passenger seat of a silver Chevrolet sedan that left the area south on U.S. Highway 491.
The business’s surveillance video was shown to McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Davis, who saw the suspect with a slim build and dressed in black with a blue bandana.
No further information was recorded in the report.
