McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Terence Willie was parked eastbound on the ramp to I-40 on Feb. 13 at 9:32 pm when he observed a black Ford Edge with an Arizona license plate exiting the ramp at the 26-mile marker. He saw that one of the car’s headlights was out, so he conducted a traffic stop at 3798 E. Hwy. 118. After approaching the car, he noticed that the left front bumper was damaged.

The driver identified himself as Marcus Yazzie, 35, of Navajo, N.M. When Willie asked to see his driver’s license, vehicle registration, and insurance, Yazzie said he did not have a driver’s license, but he did hand over his registration and insurance.

Willie saw that Yazzie’s eyes were...

While responding to a report of an armed suspect, Navajo Police Dept. officers became involved in a shooting in St. Michaels, Ariz. at 12:04 pm on Feb. 24.

The suspect took off in his car, and the officers followed him. The chase ended when a tire deflation device was used to stop the vehicle. The suspect got out of his car carrying a weapon.

The man allegedly pointed the weapon at officers, who responded.

The suspect was treated and taken to a local hospital, where he died.

No officers were injured.

This incident is currently under investigation by the Navajo Dept. of Criminal Investigation and the FBI. Additional information, including identification of the suspect and the...

Valentine’s Day turned into a DWI charge for Randall Chee, 25, of Gallup.

McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Terence Willie was driving eastbound on N.M. State Hwy. 118 approaching south Fifth Street when he saw a green Ford F-150 swerving in and out of the left lane.

He pulled the truck over a little after 6:45 p.m. and noticed the driver had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and an open container in the center console.

When asked if he had consumed any alcohol that night, Chee said no, but that he had had a drink the night before.

In his report, Willie also noted that an intoxicated woman was in the passenger seat of the truck.

After being asked a third time if he had been...

ASSAULT WITH TWEEZERS

Gallup, Jan. 27

A man was charged with assault with a deadly weapon after police allege he tried to stab a security guard at a Safeway store with a pair of tweezers.

Officer Victor Madrid was dispatched at 4:58 pm to the Safeway at U.S. Highway 491 in reference to a weapon call. The caller stated a man wearing a dark jacket and white shoes threatened him with something sharp and then he left, walking toward the Big Lots store south of the Safeway.

Madrid arrived and discovered a man matching that description walking in that direction. He put Ryan Roy Chee, 38, address unknown, in the back of his police car and drove to the Safeway, where the security guard...