The police investigation revealed that the Ford Focus driven by Alfonso Yazzie, 30, of Bittersprings, Ariz. was traveling southbound when he crossed left of the center line into the path of another vehicle being driven by Regina Sorenson, 33, of Tempe, Ariz.
Sorenson drove off the shoulder of the road but was unable to avoid a head on collision with both cars going highway speeds. Sorenson was pronounced dead at the scene.
Yazzie was taken to a hospital in Page with a knee injury. A preliminary blood screen at the hospital revealed he had a blood alcohol level of .224, almost three times the legal limit,
Yazzie was later flown to the Flagstaff Medical Center for further treatment of his knee.
One vehicle accident near Whippoorwill
Another vehicle fatality occurred on Nov. 19, two miles east of the Whippoorwill Chapter House.
According to police, the one car accident took place just before midnight. When police arrived on the scene, they discovered one victim pinned under the vehicle. The car was resting on the victim's torso. He was identified as Ben Quandry, 18, of Low Mountain, Ariz. There were no signs of life.
A witness identified Quandry as the driver and Joe Pedro, 21, also of Low Mountain, as one of the passengers. Two other passengers had been in the vehicle but had left the scene before police arrived.
Police said the vehicle had been called in just before the accident as a possible DWI.
Stolen vehicle found in pond
Navajo police recovered a white Saturn from a pond about a mile east of Mile Post 9 on Navajo Route 21 on Nov. 23.
Police had received a call about a car that may have been driven into the pond.
When police arrived on the scene, they found tire tracks leading to the pond and some items associated with car care – window cleaner, oil, paper towels - piled up a few yards from the edge of the pond.
Divers from the Chinle Police District found the vehicle in approximately 20 feet of water but the operation had to be postponed because it was getting dark.
The vehicle was removed from the pond the next morning and a check of the car's registration revealed that it had been stolen a couple of days before in Phoenix. T
he vehicle was towed to a towing hard in Tuba City.
Man pleads guilty to manslaughter
A resident of Cudeii, Jervis Wilson, pled guilty in federal court in Albuquerque Monday to involuntary manslaughter in case involving a drunk driver.
Wilson pleaded guilty to killing Herman Willeto, 52, while driving under the influence of alcohol on March 2 on U.S. Highway 64 outside of Shiprock.
Wilson's plea agreement admits that he was drinking alcohol and then drove a vehicle recklessly. As he attempted to pass other vehicles at a greater rate of speed than the flow of traffic, Wilson struck a Jeep, causing property damage but not injuring the Jeep's two occupants.
Wilson continued driving at a high rate of speed and sideswiped a Dodge sedan, causing moderate damage to the sedan and minor injuries to the driver. As Wilson continued to drive, his vehicle struck a Ford truck that was towing an excavator on a flatbed trailer. Willeto, the driver of the truck, was killed on impact.
Wilson acknowledged his blood-alcohol level was .23 when his blood was drawn within three hours of the collision.
At sentencing, Wilson faces a maximum penalty of eight years in prison.
Navajo rug stolen from Santa Fe resort
One of the largest Navajo rugs ever made has been reported stolen, according to the Albuquerque Journal.
The rug, which measures 6-feet-10, was stolen last week from the Bishop's Lodge Ranch Resort and Spa north of Santa Fe. It had been appraised several years ago at $75,000.
According to officials at the Santa Fe Sheriff's Office, the rug was last seen about 4 p.m. on Nov. 20 in the resort's main ballroom and was reported missing by staff at the resort the next morning.
On Wednesday, officials for the sheriff's office said they were pursuing leads but had no definite suspects at this time.