3 die of asphyxiation

Three people died and several others had to be taken to the hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning that occurred at a church gathering in Two Grey Hills, N.M., on Dec. 21.

The victims have been identified by Navajo Police as Roselyn Sandoval, 55, of Shiprock; Marie Smith, 62, of Aztec, N.M.; and Mae Manygoats, 63, of Two Grey Hills.

These three, plus six others, were attending church services at the home of Henry and Mary Charles about one mile west of the Navajo Housing Authority complex. Police said the Charles's were using a large propane patio heater - intended for outdoor use only - to heat the house.

Police said a next-door neighbor reported that the service began about 6 p.m. and that they heard singing and talking as late as 10:30 p.m. Police believe that the worshippers got sleepy as carbon monoxide, which is colorless and odorless, began to build up in the room but did not realize the danger.

Hoskie Bryant, 61, who is listed as pastor of the Pentecostal Church in Two Grey Hills, told police that he woke up in the morning and discovered all of the rest of the people lying on the floor.

Police said that besides the three fatalities, five other individuals - Hoskie Bryant, Louella Bryant, 63, Elmer Smiley, no age given, Kee Smith, no age given, and Henry Charles, no age given, all of the Two Grey Hills area - were transported on the morning of Dec. 22 to the Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock. Some were later transported to hospitals in the Farmington area for further treatment.

Stanley Hardy, president of Two Grey Hills Chapter, said chapter members have taken the deaths hard and have been discussing how to handle these and several other deaths that occurred in the area over the holidays.

He said that there have been two deaths in the chapter from a car accident and a resident of the nearby Sheep Springs Chapter froze to death.

"We're still trying to find out more information on the deaths in the church," he said.

Alcohol involved in Gamerco stabbing

Navajo tribal police are investigating the stabbing of a Gamerco, N.M., man on Dec. 12.

The victim, identified as Jamison Miller, 32, received stab wounds to both his upper right and left shoulders. He was treated at Gallup Indian Medical Center and then released.

Miller told police he was drinking with two other men that night. He identified one as "Nolan" and said the other was wearing clown makeup on his face. Police later identified the men as Noral Etsitty, 21, of Twin Lakes, N.M., and Thurman Etsitty, 26, of Tohatchi, N.M.

Two stabbed in Fort D fight

As they drank, Miller said he and Thurman Etsitty began arguing and this turned into a fight during which Etsitty pulled out a knife and stabbed Miller twice.

He told police where the Etsitty house was located and police said they went there and arrested the two without incident.

Bones found near Shiprock

Police are investigating whether a group of bones found Dec. 23 near Shiprock are human and if so, whether foul play occurred.

Eddie Gorman, no age given, of Shiprock told police he was supervisor of a crew that was working near milepost 25 on U.S. 64 when one member who was working a backhoe uncovered the bones.

The bones have been turned over to medical investigators for examination. Police said they have no idea at this time how old the bones are.

Ranger assaulted over booze

A Navajo ranger went to the aid of a stranded motorist and ended up being assaulted, according to tribal police.

Police said the ranger, Jimmy Boyd, 59, of Smith Lake, N.M., was helping the motorist near Pinedale, N.M., when he noticed alcoholic beverages in the pickup. He explained that under Navajo Nation law he would have to confiscate the liquor, but the people in the pickup began arguing with him and Boyd was assaulted before they drove away.

During the fight, Boyd said, one of the people in the car tried unsuccessfully to take his expandable baton. He managed to get away as the people got into the pickup and sped away.

Before the fighting had occurred, he had managed to get a report out that he was having trouble so it was only a few minutes before two other rangers came to the scene.

While Boyd was sent to the hospital to get treated for his injuries, the other began looking for those responsible.

By that time, according to police, the people in the pickup had gone behind a trailer in the Pinedale housing area and switched to a white sedan.

Rangers had set up surveillance and began searching the area for the suspects.

During a routine traffic stop, police stopped a white sedan being driven by Randy Tsosie, age and hometown unknown, and took him to the Crownpoint jail for booking. When Boyd got there, he told police that Tsosie was not among those who had assaulted him.

Police said, however, they do have suspects in the case and they have been listed as Casey Morgan, 30, Robertson Hayes, no age given, and Emerson Becenti, no age given, all of the Pinedale area.

No suspects so far in WR stabbing

A stabbing occurred Dec. 21 near the Navajo Nation Fish and Wildlife Department offices in Window Rock.

The victim was identified as Michael King, 25, of Window Rock.

Police received a call about 11:30 p.m. that King had been stabbed and was in need of an ambulance. When they got to the site, however, all they could discovered was a black and tan jacket with bloodstains hanging on top of a chain link fence.

Within minutes, however, they received another call about a man in bloody clothes walking along the roadway. This time they found the man and he identified himself as King.

He told police that he had been walking outside his house on Tólikan Street when he saw some man he did not know walking by the street. He went up to the man and before he knew what was happening, the man turned and stabbed him.

Police said King received a one half laceration to his upper left arm. Police added that they have no suspects.

Alcohol involved in alleged infant abuse

Tribal police have arrested an Indian Wells, Ariz., woman who is accused of throwing a baby against the wall and attempted to strangle the baby as well.

The incident occurred about 11:04 p.m. on Christmas Eve when police received a call about a 5-month-old baby being abused.

When police arrived at the house, they found Darlene Belin, 42, of Indian Wells outside, hysterical and in tears.

She told police that Verna Attakai, 44, of Indian Wells was throwing her baby against the wall and also had attempted to strangle it. She told police that Attakai had threatened to throw the baby out in the snow if the police were called.

Police said they had to force open the door and when they did, they found Attakai passed out next to the baby. Attakai was reported to have been intoxicated.

Attakai was placed into custody and the baby was transported to Flagstaff for treatment.

Man killed on U.S. 491

A Jan. 3 accident involving the collision of two cars on U.S. 491 near Sheepsprings, N.M., left one man dead.

The victim was identified as Michael Carr. No age or address was given in the police report, but he was later reported to be 22 and a resident of Newcomb, N.M.

Police said that Carr was headed northbound on the road when for an unknown reason he crossed into the southbound lane, causing the collision with another vehicle.

Carr died at the scene. The driver and passenger in the other vehicle were not identified but police said they were transported to the Northern Navajo Medical Center for treatment of their injuries.

DWI cited in double fatality crash

Two Shiprock residents died in a car crash that occurred near Mitten Rock on Dec. 26.

The victims were identified in the Farmington Daily Times as Maria Ann Wagoner, 42, and Shawn Dean Wagoner, 16, both of Farmington.

According to tribal police, two other members of the family - Dan Wagoner Jr., 39, and a 3-year-old child - were injured in the accident. The toddler was transported to Albuquerque for treatment.

The accident occurred about 7:25 p.m. when a car driven by Larry Burr, 49, of Red Valley, Ariz., was seen by witnesses going from the eastbound lane into the westbound lane, causing a head-on collision with the Wagoner vehicle.

Police said neither car had a chance to avoid the other.

Burr was discovered by police still in the driver's seat and, according to the police report, was "emitting a strong odor of liquor from his person." Blood alcohol tests later revealed that he had a level of 0.36, more than four times the legal limit on the reservation.

Burr was taken to the hospital for injuries, as was Raymond Begay, 64, of Red Valley.

Police said that while the westbound lane was icy in spots, the eastbound lane at the time of the accident was free of ice or defects. Therefore, the report said, weather or road conditions were not a factor in this accident.

Fort Defiance man accused in stabbing

Two Window Rock residents were stabbed with a large knife during an altercation Dec. 27.

The victims were identified by police as Melissa Barney, 45, and Jermaine Pino, 23.

Police said an investigation revealed that the two were struck on their heads with a knife by Jerry Begay, 55, of Fort Defiance. Barney required surgery. Pino, according to the police report, was struck in the head several times requiring numerous stitches.

Begay was later found and arrested, according to the report.

Icy wreck kills 1

A one-vehicle accident on Jan. 4 claimed the life of a Seba Dalkai, Ariz., man.

Floybert Huskon, 31, was traveling north on Navajo Route 2 near Tolani Lake when he hit an icy patch on the road and lost control of his vehicle, causing it to roll over as he traveled into the southbound lane.

Police said he died at the scene.

Back to top ^