23-year-old escapes from McKinley County jail, captured hours later

GALLUP

Navajo Times staff

Mckinkey County sheriff officials announced that Ryan Westman, who escaped from McKinley County Adult Detention Center about 2 p.m. Wednesday was captured four hours later.

Officials said he was seen getting into a car near Roosevelt Elementary School and was arrested after deputies did a traffic stop.

Westman was taken into custody without incident. Police continue their investigation as to how he escaped.

PREVIOUSLY

McKinley County deputies late Wednesday began looking for a Gallup man who escaped earlier that afternoon from the McKinley County Adult Detention Center.

The man, identified as Ryan Westman, 23, managed to get out of the jail through a back door somehow and jumped over the back fence about 2 p.m. He is described as a light-skinned African-American with a full beard and mustache.

He had been arrested on Saturday by Gallup police and charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. More charges are pending against him in connection with stealing a car and kidnapping the owner with three other people on Thursday, and taking him to McGaffey, knocking him down before tying him up and leaving him on a dirt road.

Two others arrested with him remain in the county jail. They have been identified as Christina Quinana, 25, and David Martinez, 29. Both are from the Gallup area.

Sheriff officials said they are looking for a second woman in connection with the kidnapping.

Her first name may be Nicole and her last name may be Begay. She is described as Native American, about 5-feet-5 tall with long hair. Anyone with information about either her whereabouts or that of Westman is asked to called the sheriff’s office or Crime Stoppers at 505-722-6161.

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