Pinedale man gets 18 months for stabbing

By Navajo Times Staff

ALBUQUERQUE, Aug. 14, 2014

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Ramsey Litzin, 20, who resides in Pinedale, N.M., was sentenced recently in federal district court for his involuntary manslaughter conviction. Litzin will serve 18 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Litzin was arrested on Nov. 15, 2013, on a criminal complaint alleging that he killed a 27-year-old Navajo man by stabbing him to death in the early hours of Nov. 12, 2013, in Pinedale, N.M., which is located within the Navajo Indian Reservation in McKinley County, N.M. Litzin was intoxicated when he killed the victim during a physical altercation between the two men.

On April 24, Litzin pleaded guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge and admitted killing the victim by stabbing him with a knife.

According to the plea agreement, Litzin armed himself with a knife prior to a physical fight with the victim and stabbed the victim approximately 23 times with the intention of causing the victim to sustain serious bodily injury and knowing his actions could result in the victim's death.

Although most of the stab wounds were superficial, at least three stab wounds contributed to the victim's death. Litzin stated that he was angry, intoxicated and had been struck by the victim when he stabbed the victim to death.

Man dies in three-vehicle crash

CIBOLA COUNTY - On Aug. 6, Motor Transportation Police, New Mexico State Police, Acoma Police and Cibola County Sheriff's Department officers responded to milepost 91 on Interstate 40 to the report of a crash involving three commercial motor vehicles, according to a news release from the Department of Public Safety.

Interstate 40 was shut down in both directions for about two hours. The right lane of eastbound I-40 was then opened. Later, both lanes of eastbound I-40 were opened. One lane of westbound I-40 was opened about 2:30 p.m., and this is still currently the situation until all debris can be cleaned up.

Traffic was diverted onto the frontage road with the help of all agencies involved while the interstate was closed in an attempt to keep traffic moving.

Numerous fire and rescue personnel from the Grants area also responded to the scene to battle the fire and treat the injured. Fire departments from Grants, Laguna, Acoma, Blue Water, San Rafael, Milan and Cubero dedicated resources to assist with this crash.

Initial investigation revealed a vehicle carrying passenger cars was traveling eastbound when the driver's side front tire failed, it crossed the center median and traveled across the westbound lanes, struck a guardrail and overturned.

A vehicle traveling westbound was almost struck by the eastbound vehicle and slowed down in the right lane of I-40 westbound. After this vehicle slowed, a second westbound vehicle struck the first westbound vehicle from behind which ignited both vehicles, resulting in the fire. The driver of the second westbound vehicle was ejected and died at the scene.

Both westbound vehicle cabs were completely burned. The second westbound vehicle was a tanker truck carrying a diesel oil mix. The trailer did not burn nor did the diesel oil mix catch fire. The diesel oil mix was later transferred to another tanker truck.

The identity of the driver of the third vehicle will be released when known and next of kin is notified. The other two drivers were evaluated on scene and released without injuries.

More information will be released when it becomes available.

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