Sanfred Watchman

Sept. 14, 3:11 am

Aggravated DWI (Refusal)

McKinley County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Eric Jim said he was on regular patrol when he was told to be on the lookout for a brown Chevy; the driver had been refused service at the Sagebrush Lounge because he was intoxicated.

The driver was seen going east on State Highway 264, so Jim reportedly headed north on U.S. Highway 491 and soon saw the car heading south toward Gallup. He turned around and followed the car to the Safeway parking lot.

According to the report, Jim approached the driver, who was identified as Sanfred Watchman, 46, of Mexican Springs. Watchman admitted he’d had a six pack of beer before...

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Health announced plans to relocate Turquoise Lodge Hospital in Bernalillo County to the former Gibson Medical Center at 5400 Gibson Blvd SE in Albuquerque to expand their services.

The relocation, announced Sept. 24, will help align both state and county resources to better address the behavioral health and substance misuse treatment needs in New Mexico. The move will take place in December 2018.

Moving TLH enables both government entities to expand their current substance misuse treatment services in New Mexico, resulting in increased resources to New Mexicans.

Turquoise Lodge Hospital serves as the hub for NMDOH’s drug and alcohol treatment...

The New Mexico State Police investigated a fatal crash on Interstate 40 around mile-marker 56, between Gallup and Grants Sept. 16 at about 5:30 pm.

The initial investigation indicated a 2013 Ford was traveling east on I-40. The rear passenger tire blew out on the vehicle causing it to enter the dirt embankment where it began to roll.

The female passenger, Michelle M. Arnold, 51, of Grants, sustained fatal injuries, and was pronounced deceased on scene by the Office of the Medical Investigator.

The male driver, who will not be identified, was 59, and also from Grants. He was airlifted from the scene with unknown injuries.

Alcohol does not appear to be a contributing factor in the...

Three unrelated deaths include one homicide

The Gallup Police Department is investigating three deaths that occurred this past week.

The first occurred Sept. 14 and involved a woman who was hit by a train just north of the 2500 block of East U.S. Highway 66.

GPD Capt. Marinda Spencer said police have obtained a tentative identification of the woman, but on Sept. 20, they were still awaiting confirmation from the state Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque.

The body was found on the embankment just south of the train tracks; the Native American woman apparently died after being struck by a train. There were no reports of drug use and police are still trying to determine...