Domestic dispute results in death

A domestic dispute resulted in the death of a Sanders, Ariz., man on Feb. 4.

The victim was identified as Albert Jim, 33.

Police said he got into a domestic dispute with his wife, Amanda Benally Jim, 31,  and when she decided to leave and got in her car, her husband jumped on the hood.

Witnesses said they saw her accelerate and brake quickly before she a housing area. Albert Jim continued to stay on the hood, however, and witnesses said they saw the car leaving the housing area and get on Route 61 near Basha's Supermarket in Window Rock.

Witnesses said she drove at a high rate of speed and then lost control of the car, skidding sideways.  The car then rolled over one and a half times with Albert Jim still on the hood.

Bystanders tried to turn the vehicle over but when police arrived, Albert Jim was still pinned under the hood and had no pulse.

Amanda Jim also received injuries and was flow to Scottsdale Osborn Hospital for treatment.

The case is still under investigation.

Dept. director charged with battery

A Navajo government department director has been charged with battery after getting into an altercation on Feb. 26 with a fellow worker.

Arrested was Perry Bahe Yazzie, executive director of the Navajo government development office in Window Rock.

Yazzie, 56, reportedly got into an altercation with Bennie Silversmith, no age given, of Oak Springs, Ariz.

The dispute stemmed from complaints by Silversmith about not getting his paycheck the day before. He did get it on Feb 26 but a witness who was in the office next door reported hearing noises and when she investigated, she said she saw Yazzie  push Silversmith into a filing cabinet.

Yazzie then left the building and the witness said she called her supervisor, Edison Wauneka, who called police.

Silversmith, who recently had open-heart surgery, complained of chest pains and was taken to the Fort Defiance hospital for an examination.

As for Yazzie, he returned later that day and told police that he did not push Silversmith but tried to get Silversmith to stop arguing. Because of the witness's statement, however, Yazzie was charged with battery.

Several injured in head-on collision

Several men were taken to the hospital on Feb. 14 with life-threatening injuries after a head-on collision but no fatalities  were reported.

Victims were identified as Ronald Dedman, 43, of Nazlini, Ariz.; Ronald Kelsey, 42, of Chinle; and Gayald Benally, 33, Daniel Bahe, age unknown, and Dondy Bahe, 34, all of Whippoorwill, Ariz.

Police learned of the incident when a witness called about 10:33 a.m. saying that two cars collided head-on about two miles north of Burnside on U.S. Highway 191. Police were also told that one of the vehicles was on fire.

When police arrived at the scene, they found one of the vehicles by the side of the road on its roof and the other vehicle about 100 yards away.

By that time, two men - who were not identified - had been removed from the vehicle that was on fire.

Police said that when they inspected the area, they found liquor bottles scattered around the scene. Firefighters managed to put the car fire out.

All five men involved in the accident were taken to sage Memorial Hospital for treatment and four of them had to flown to Flagstaff.

The accident is still under investigation.

Man suffers head injury, airlifted to hospital

A Torreon, N.M., man was battered and another Torreon man was arrested for aggravated assault in an incident that occurred about 5 p.m. on Feb. 24.

The victim was identified as Jeremiah Morgan 37.

According to police, Morgan was battered on the back of the head with an unknown object, receiving a possible fracture of the skull. He was airlifted to UNM Hospital in Albuquerque and underwent emergency surgery.

No details were given as to what caused the incident but police said that Joseph Waukazoo, 21, was arrested. A second suspect that was involved in the incident is still being sought.

Missing man found in Bisti area

Police in the Crownpoint area spent the night of Feb. 20 and 21 looking for a Sheepsprings, N.M., man who was reported missing.

Samuel Police, 44, was helping his brother, Leroy, search on horseback for cattle that was roaming the Bisti Wilderness area. Leroy said that the two had separated and were looking in different areas.

That night when Leroy returned home, Samuel had not arrived and the family became concerned because Samuel was not familiar with the area. At 10:54 p.m., they decided it was time to call for help.

Area law enforcement personnel searched the Bisti area throughout the night. Family members were concerned since Samuel was wearing only a T-shirt and had no food.

The search was continued in the morning and the San Juan County Sheriff's Department brought in their helicopter to help out in the search.

Samuel Police was found in the Bisti area about 11:28 a.m. suffering only from dehydration.

Man dies in rollover

A Dalton Pass, N.M., man died on Feb. 21 in a one-vehicle rollover.

Police said when they got to the scene about a quarter mile west of Dalton Pass, they discovered the victim - Dennis Yazzie, 31 - lying on the side of the dirt road.

He had been traveling at a high rate of speed when he lost control of the car and was ejected from the passenger side door. Police said alcohol was a contributing factor in the accident.

Cattle cause police officer's crash

A Navajo Nation police officer - who was not identified - was involved in an accident  in which his police vehicle rolled over near Fort Defiance.

The officer was on patrol when he was called in too back up other officers who were responding to a report of a group of intoxicated people in Fort Defiance.

It was night and he came upon two black cows in the middle of the road. At the same time, the officer said he was momentarily blinded by oncoming traffic.

He was able to avoid hitting the cattle but lost control of the vehicle, causing it to roll over.

The officer did not receive any serious injuries but his left leg received lacerations that required five stitches. He was also treated for whiplash.

Ex-Winslow hall director indicted for embezzlement

PHOENIX - A federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a one-count indictment March 3 against Mike Kee James Sr., 64, of Ganado, Ariz., for embezzlement from an Indian tribal organization, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

James will be summoned to appear in U.S. District Court for an arraignment on the charge.

Winslow Residential Hall Inc. is a corporation organized under the laws of the Navajo Nation to provide dormitory facilities to students from various tribes who attend school in Winslow, Ariz.

The indictment alleges that from March 2004 through August 2006, while he was the executive director of the organization, James claimed $21,467.23 in travel reimbursements and advances not due to him.

The indictment further alleges that James made false travel claims using three different methods: first, by charging to the corporate credit card lodging and other expenses for which he had already received a cash advance; second, by requesting travel advances for overlapping events; and third, by receiving reimbursement for travel he did not take.

Dennehotso man sentenced for sexual abuse

PHOENIX - Clifton Ray Francis, 28, of Dennehotso, Ariz., was sentenced on Feb. 23 to 87 months in federal prison after pleading guilty on Nov. 24, 2008, to aggravated sexual abuse, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

In June 2008, Francis and the elderly female victim had been drinking. The victim passed out and Francis sexually assaulted her.

A female relative of the victim drove up and saw the victim on the ground with the defendant nearby. Francis admitted to sexually assaulting the elderly woman.

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