Curbing potential tragedies on the roads and highways

Between McKinley County Sheriff’s Office and Gallup Police Officers, over a dozen dangerous people were taken off of the streets of McKinley County. The following arrests are a result of the hard work of patrol officers, saturation patrols and the McKinley County DWI Task Force.

Lieutenant James Maiorano, MCSO Spokesperson, said that DWI is a trend and it is a problem and they will continue to combat it.

“Whether it is [DWI] grant or just patrol, DWI is always going to be a priority for McKinley County until we address it on all sides, the legal side and the educational side,” Maiorano said.

Captain Rick...

Teen molested by Vanderwagon man

A young teenage boy is waiting for the school bus at his usual stop when a 66-year-old man pulls up and offers him a ride. No, this is not the beginning of a camp fire horror story, not even the story of elementary school staff teaching “Stranger Danger.” This is actually the beginning of a horrific incident that occurred to a local high school student April 21, here in Gallup.

The teenager, whose identity will not be released, later told police that he had accepted rides in the past from different individuals and did not think any harm would come to him. However, William Detwiler of Vanderwagon, NM had different plans for this young man.

Detwiler...

Gallup Police Department is seeking information from the public regarding a possible homicide. On April 25, GPD was called to Gallup Indian Medical Center for a possible rape. Once they arrived, there were more questions than answers on how a 39-year-old woman died.

The cause of death for Dione Thomas of Ft. Wingate, NM is unknown at this time, according to GPD Capt. Rick White.

“We are actively investigating this as a homicide,” White said.

According to the police report, filed by Officer Valerie Wilson, Anthony Ray and Milton Garanez called an ambulance to Colonial Motel on West Coal Avenue to help Thomas who was bleeding from the forehead.

Ray and Garanez were at the hospital...

Tamara Cleveland, 19, of Churchrock, N.M. was arrested and booked into the McKinley County Adult Detention Center after stabbing another female at the Gallup Detox Center several times.

According to the statement of probable cause, Gallup Police Officer D. Hoffman was dispatched to the detox facility in reference to a fight in the “women’s housing area.” When Hoffman arrived at the facility, McKinley County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Arnold Noriega had Cleveland in the back of his unit and medical personnel were checking on Direne Belingachee, who had been stabbed five times.

According to the report, Cleveland told Hoffman that she was sleeping and Belingachee kicked at her head...