Police Blotter: 46-year-old Calif. man dies at Arizona Snowbowl
FLAGSTAFF
Coconino County Sheriff’s deputies and detectives are investigating the death of a 46-year-old man from California who died Jan. 18, 2015, while skiing at the Arizona Snowbowl, according to a Coconino County Sheriff’s Office news release.
Thus far, the investigation has revealed the victim was skiing with several friends when he experienced some type of medical episode and fell to the snow.
According to witnesses, the victim fell for an unknown reason and did not strike another person or a fixed object. The Arizona Snowbowl EMS personnel arrived and began CPR.
The victim was placed on a sled type medical transport device and taken to the service access on the south side of the Sunset chairlift where they met with responding deputies and Guardian Medical Transport personnel. The victim was transported by ground ambulance to the Flagstaff Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead. Summit Fire District personnel also responded to the scene.
The victim’s body was transported from the Flagstaff Medical Center to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office where this investigation will continue.
Diné woman found in hotel dies of natural causes, police say
BOWMAN, N.D. – The death of a 30-year-old Navajo woman in a motel in Bowman, N.D., has been listed as dying from natural causes, according to a story in the Bismarck Tribune.
The body of Jezebel Hosteen, who was described as a member of the Navajo Tribe from New Mexico, was found Dec. 23 by the staff of the Northwinds Lodge after she failed to check out. Her children, ages 4, 3, and one month, were in the room at the time.
Bowman Police Chief Chuck Headley was quoted in the paper as saying there was no evidence of foul play nor did police find any illegal drugs in the room.
Headley said she was found with her nightclothes on in her bed and apparently died in her sleep sometime during the night.
The cause of death is still undetermined. Although an autopsy was not done, blood and tissue samples were collected and are now being reviewed to find a possible cause of death.
As for the children, they were turned over to the local social service department, which is working with relatives back in New Mexico to return the children back to their home.
Man gets 3 years for involuntary manslaughter conviction
SANTA FE — Jasper Fernandez, 40, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Bloomfield, N.M., was sentenced Jan. 6 to three years in federal prison for his involuntary manslaughter conviction.
Fernandez was arrested Feb. 22, 2012, on a criminal complaint charging him with the Nov. 4, 2011, murder of a 36-year-old Navajo woman on the Navajo Reservation.
Fernandez entered a guilty plea Dec. 22, 2014, to felony information charging him with involuntary manslaughter. During the plea hearing, Fernandez admitted that he killed the victim while defending himself from a physical assault by the victim.
According to court filings, Fernandez and the victim were both intoxicated when the victim began kicking and punching Fernandez because he criticized her. Fernandez, who lost a tooth as a result of the assault, pushed the victim away too hard and caused her to hit her head against the door pillar of a vehicle and die.
In his plea agreement, Fernandez acknowledged that instead of seeking medical attention for the victim or contacting the police, he attempted to conceal his crime by burying the victim’s remains.
Fernandez will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence.
Fernandez was also ordered to pay $1,324.16 in restitution to cover funeral expenses for the victim.
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow