WINDOW ROCK, Nov. 6, 2008

A n Indian Wells, Ariz., man is facing aggravated assault charges after he put on a mask and tried to force his way into the Red Mesa Store on Nov. 1.

The man, identified as Sherwin Lewis, no age given, was found by tribal police sitting on the ground near the store after Sheila Black called police about 11:45 p.m. and reported that someone was trying to rob the store.

When police found Lewis, he had a blue bandanna over his head and another one on the lower part of his face so only his eyes were visible. Not knowing if he was armed or not, police took Lewis to the ground and handcuffed him.

Talking to witnesses, police learned that Lewis had knocked on Black's door. One of her children answered and when Lewis tried to get in, the juvenile managed to keep him out.

Lewis said she and her three children then stayed away from the door as Lewis continue pounding on it and the family waited for police to arrive.

She told police that they were in fear for their lives since the store had been robbed in the past.

Police said that since no money was taken and he was not able to get into the store, no robbery charges were filed.

Church's Chicken robbed

Thieves did manage, however, to get into the Church's Fried Chicken building between midnight and 8 a.m. on Oct. 27, according to police.

The store's workers discovered that the thieves had broken into the building by getting in through the drive-in window.

Once inside, they vandalized the building and then stole a safe from the office, which contained some $1,900 in cash.

Thanks to witnesses, police were able to find the safe, which had been moved by car to another location. The cash, however, was missing.

Three men have been charged with the break-in, Nov. 6, 2008

Taylor Johnson, 28, of Window Rock, Casey Jim, 26, of Window Rock, and Adrian Miles, 18, of Crystal.

Gas station damaged by BB gun

It started out as a report of a drive-by shooting and then became an investigation into property damage to the Giant's Gas Station in St. Michaels.

A worker at the gas station called police just after midnight on Oct. 21 and reported that the window to the station had been damaged.

Earlier in the evening, he said a female came into the store and asked for a hot beverage, which she then paid for. He saw her get into a grad Cadillac sedan with a black top and noticed that there was one other individual inside the vehicle.

As they left, the station attendant said he heard a loud noise coming from the direction of the car and later found what appeared to be damage to the station's window from a BB pellet.

The FBI was called in when the first reports were that it was a drive-by shooting but since the damage to the window was not severe and no one was injured, the FBI bowed out and the case is being handled by Navajo police. There are no suspects at this time.

Arson suspected

Police are investigating what appears to be an arson that occurred about 4 a.m. Nov. 1 at a government building in Crownpoint.

It began with a call to police that a building was on fire. It turned out that it was a metal building that was being used as a storeroom for housing material belonging to the Crownpoint Chapter.

The material was valued at $10,000. Police also discovered that a window to the building had been broken. The case has been turned over to the department's criminal investigation section.

Church destroyed by fire

Another fire is also under investigation, this one to a church in Inscription House.

The police report did not say what kind of church it was but said it was located on the junction of State Road 98 and Navajo Route 16.

The first reports of the fire came in about 10:11 and when police got to the scene, the building was totally destroyed. There was no electricity in the building and no one was in it, according to police.

An investigation revealed that the fire had been started by someone outside the building. There are no suspects.

Officer strains ankle

A tribal police officer, whose name was not released, was injured when he apprehended a man attempting to escape from custody at the Kayenta jail.

The prisoner, identified as Patrick Kinlacheeny, was being booked for an unidentified charge when he managed to escape.

When he ran out of the building, however, he was spotted by the officer who apprehended him running away. In the process, however, he sprained his ankle.

Man runs from police

No one was injured in another escape attempt.

Police said this incident occurred on Nov. 2 when police officers responded to a report that several men were drinking alcohol about two miles east of the Gap Trading Post.

When police arrived at the scene, they took Newton Charley, 24, of Gap, Ariz., into custody but in the process of handcuffing him, he managed to escape by foot with police officers in pursuit.

He was finally apprehended and police said they discovered two guns in the area where he had first been apprehended. Police said they did not know if he was armed during the time the pursuit took place.

Man dies in rollover

A Sheep Springs, N.M., man died on Oct. 25 when his car was involved in a one-vehicle rollover on U.S. 491 near Buffalo Springs, N.M.

The victim was identified as Sheldon Sherman, 22.

Police said that the driver of a semi-trailer called it in. Police said the vehicle had apparently driven into the right shoulder onto the dirt and then the driver overcorrected, resulting in the rollover.

When police arrived on the scene, the driver was reported to have no pulse.

Men fight in Counselor

A Counselor, N.M., man was stabbed and may have his brother to thank that he survived.

Police said they first got the call that Lional Martinez, 24, was stabbed about 6 p.m. Oct. 27.

When police arrived at the scene, he was being air lifted to the San Juan Medical Center.

A deputy from the Sandoval County Sheriff's Department was at the scene and he told Navajo police that the victim had been stabbed five times in the back and once in the back of the head with a small pocket knife. The deputy said none of the injuries were life-threatening.

The victim's brother, Richardo Augustine, told police that he was riding on a horse near the family residence when he saw his brother fighting with Ivan Kay, no age given, of Counselor. He also reported that Derrick Kay was involved and was holding his brother down so Ivan Kay could strike him.

Augustine said he got between the fighters and saw that Ivan Kay was attempting to stab him again but he failed to do it because Augustine managed to kick him away.

All of the people in the fight, Augustine told police, appeared to be intoxicated.

Burnham man charged with battery

A Burnham, N.M., man was charged with aggravated battery in a case that took place in Burnham on Nov. 1.

Police said they first became aware that there was a problem when they received a call from staff at the San Juan Medical Center about a man who had been stabbed multiple times.

A police investigation revealed that Travis Bitsuie, 29, was reportedly stabbed by his cousin, Alastair Begay, unknown age, also of Burnham, during a fight, Both were reported to have been intoxicated at the time.

Money laundering cases turned over to FBI

Tribal police have turned two money laundering cases to the FBI in the past two months.

The first occurred on Sept. 13 on U.S. Highway 160 near Tuba City.

Police stopped a car for a traffic violation and when the officer noticed signs that made him suspect that the people in the car, both of whom were from Nebraska, were involved in some kind of criminal activity, he asked and received permission to search the car.

His K-9 partner then alerted him to a section of the car where police found bundles of U.S. currency totaling $20,250. The money was confiscated and the two men were turned over to the FBI.

The other case also occurred on U.S. Highway 160 in the Kayenta area. It followed the same scenario, with a routine traffic stop, the driver, who was from Sonora, Mexico, exhibiting suspicious behavior and after agreeing to a search, police finding $7,600 in currency hidden away within the vehicle. The driver was turned over to the FBI.

Tribal police aid Ariz. state police

Tribal police aided state police in Arizona to apprehend a man who was trying to escape from being arrested near Flagstaff.

The pursuit began near Flagstaff on U.S. Highway 89 about 1:35 p.m. on Nov. 2. As the driver, who reportedly was traveling as fast as 107 mph, headed toward the reservation, tribal police were called in for assistance.

When tribal police arrived at the area where the pursuit was taking place, they saw a DPS Ranger helicopter in an open field, along with a car and three people who were in the process of being arrested.

Police said two men and a female were arrested. While the female had no identification, the men were identified as Marcus Marquiz and J.R. Webster, no ages or hometowns for either.

The suspects were turned over to state police for processing.

Kaibeto man gets 2 years for lying in court

PHOENIX, Nov. 6, 2008

Nicholas Tsiniginie, 27, of Kaibeto, Ariz., was sentenced Nov. 3 to 2 years in federal prison followed by placement in an inpatient alcohol rehabilitation program while on three years of supervised release, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Tsiniginie pleaded guilty in June to providing false testimony during the trial of fellow Kaibeto resident Gentry Deel.

Deel was tried for aggravated assault for shooting another Kaibeto resident with an assault rifle and is presently serving 161 months in federal prison for that assault.

In sentencing Tsiniginie, the judge stated that it was essential that testimony during trial be truthful to ensure that the guilty do not escape justice or that the innocent are not wrongly convicted.

Parker man sentenced for firearm possession

PHOENIX, Nov. 6, 2008

Galen Fisher, 39, of Parker, Ariz., was sentenced Nov. 4 to two years in federal prison. Fisher pleaded guilty on July 25, 2008, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On Oct. 29, 2007, an officer of the Colorado River Indian Tribes Police Department responded to a call of shots fired. When the officer responded to the home where the shots reportedly were fired, he saw Galen Fisher holding two handguns.

Fisher had been previously convicted of possession of a narcotic drug and aggravated driving under the influence of intoxicating liquors, both crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.

Back to top ^