Police Report for May 6, 2021

Navajo Co. sheriff’s report, April 18-24

HOLBROOK

The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office reports the following activity from April 18 through April 24. On April 20, deputies noticed a yellow Chevy Astro van and a two-tone Dodge Charger. The Charger was driving around the block many times. A search of the van was conducted after a K9 alerted to the vehicle.

A methamphetamine pipe was located. Danae Fish, 35, of Joseph City, and Christopher Rodgers, 47, of Prescott Valley, were arrested for possession of dangerous drug paraphernalia. On April 20, deputies stopped a vehicle for failing to stop at a stop sign.

The driver, Ryan Points, 37, of Holbrook, was cited and released for liquor in the passenger compartment.

On April 21, Navajo County deputies arrested Honwunu Polequaptewa, 21, of Pinetop, on a warrant for his arrest. He was transported and booked into the Navajo County Jail Annex in Show Low.

On April 23, Navajo County deputies arrested Josiah Malone, 29, of Whiteriver, for DUI and DUI with a blood alcohol content over .08. Josiah was cited and released.

On April 23, deputies responded to the area of State Route 87 approximately half of a mile north of Interstate 40 after multiple reports of a plane crash. Fire and Rescue were already on scene when deputies arrived. They had put out the majority of the fire caused by the plane crash. DPS advised there were two deceased subjects near the crash site. The crash is under investigation.

On April 24, Navajo County deputies arrested Holley Stuart, 30, of Show Low for driving under the influence of alcohol. She was transported and booked into the Navajo County Jail Annex in Show Low for aggravated DUI with a passenger under 15, extreme driving under the influence, endangerment, and open container of alcohol.

Man gets 3 years in baseball bat assault

By Bill Donovan
Special to the Times

LOS ANGELES – A Smith Lake, New Mexico, man was sentenced to three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to assaulting his brother with a baseball bat.

Supervised probation has also been ordered for Mark Anthony Hill, 34, for three years after serving his sentence. According to court records, Hill and his brother, who was identified as John Doe in the court records, spent part of August 2020 drinking after Doe, 23, brought several liquor miniatures to the house they shared.

Doe later told FBI agents that after they went through several bottles, Hill became angry and started pushing him around. Doe said he pushed back and was pushed to the ground. While on the ground, he said Hill began striking him with his fists.

Doe said his brother then left the house but returned a short time later holding a baseball bat, using it to hit him all over the body. Doe said he remembers using his arms to protect his head. He said he also remembers being unable to move.

The next thing he remembers, he said, was seeing his sister and medical personnel at his house. When tribal police arrived on the scene, they said Doe was unable to speak because of his injuries. He was transported to the Gallup Indian Medical Center and from there he was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital. Police reported finding the bloody bat in the bed of a pickup parked next to the house. Court records said Doe was treated for a fractured jaw, a fractured skull, a fractured nasal passage, a dislocated shoulder and various lacerations on the face.

He was taken into surgery that day for repair of the injuries. Hill was arrested the following day by tribal police and has remained in federal custody since his arrest. In his sentencng memorandum, Hill asked to be given alcohol counseling because he has a history of alcohol abuse. He also asked to be given counseling in anger management.

He said he would also like to serve his sentence at the federal prison in Tucson to make it easier for family members to visit. Prosecutors, in their sentencing memorandum, also stressed Hill’s previous problems with alcohol abuse, saying this has led to numerous interactions with tribal and other law enforcement agencies in New Mexico.

Their report also mentions that Hill was the victim of an attack just two weeks before the incident. “It is an axiom in criminal law that today’s victim is tomorrow’s w’s defendant,” the memo said. His prison assignment will be made by the Bureau of Prisons based on the charges for which he has been convicted. That decision is usually made two or three weeks after being placed in the custody of the bureau.

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