Cop injured trying to stop arson suspect

By Kathy Helms
Diné Bureau

GANADO — Navajo Nation Police Officer Marwin Joe was injured Nov. 17 after responding to a disturbance call near milepost 455 on State Route 264 regarding 42-year-old Charles John of Cross Canyon who was reported to be intoxicated and disturbing the peace.

Joe arrived at the residence and attempted to take John into custody for allegedly attempting to burn down a mobile home by pouring lamp fuel on the floors and trying to set it on fire.

John resisted arrest when the officer located him at his parents' house, about 50 yards south of his residence. John was cap-stunned but managed to take off from the officer.

Following a short foot pursuit, Joe again attempted to take John into custody. The two got into a scuffle during which John struck the officer with a cast he had on his arm, resulting in the officer having to use his baton to try to apprehend the suspect.

At one point, Joe ended up on the ground. He drew his firearm and pointed it at the suspect. John told him, "Go ahead. Shoot me!" according to the police report. He then turned and fled on foot.

Joe received injuries to the left side of his face, left leg, and right hand. He was transported to Sage Memorial Hospital in Ganado where he was treated and released. The case is open and under investigation by Sgt. Antonio Cooke, Criminal Investigator Fayetta Dale and FBI Agent Nick Mann.


Coyote sniping
WINDOW ROCK — The trickster Coyote had the last laugh when two men and a 14-year-old from the Gap area at least one under the influence of alcohol caught coyote in the sights of an SKS rifle and decided to do a little target practicing.

Members of Navajo Nation Law Enforcement from Tuba City Police District received a call just minutes before 11 p.m. last Saturday regarding shots being fired on top of a hill near the caller's residence.

Two officers rendezvoused at the gas station in Gap, listening to determine where the shots were coming from. Officers heard one shot, followed by four rapid shots, coming from a location about a mile northeast of Gap Trading Post.

Four additional officers from a nearby substation were notified and responded to the scene along with an Emergency Medical Technician, who was on stand-by. While Navajo police were waiting for the additional officers to arrive, they heard three more shots fired from the same location.

After back-up arrived, officers went to the home and spotlighted the residence, using the public address system to order the occupants to come outside. Johnathan Charlie, 20; Cyrus D. Nez, 18; and the juvenile came out of the residence without further incident.

One of the suspects told officers he had an SKS assault rifle inside the residence and that they were shooting at coyotes. Officers did not identify which suspect, but said the man was intoxicated at the time of his arrest.

Police found numerous spent 7.62-caliber rounds on the ground near the residence and upon searching the home, confiscated a Saiga (7.62) assault rifle with scope, a Marlin .22 rifle with a bullet in the chamber, two dummy hand grenades, what was believed to be a marijuana pipe, and a "twisted knife" with five blades.

The suspects were arrested and charged with unlawful use of a weapon and being a criminal nuisance.


Aggravated assault
JEDDITO — A Jeddito man was taken into custody Nov. 17 and charged with criminal damage and aggravated assault, along with a weapons charge, after Dilkon Police received a call that David Hartman was threatening family members and possibly was using a knife to hold his wife hostage.

Tactical Operations Team members from Dilkon Police District were called out to Jeddito where Hartman lived with Isabelle Jackson. The team devised a plan to capture the suspect and safely remove the victim from the residence if necessary.

According to police, family members had seized Hartman's rifle and ammunition, after which he allegedly took a knife and attacked witnesses. He also punctured vehicle tires with a knife.

Hartman was apprehended at 8:35 p.m. and transported to Coconino County Adult Detention Center. Criminal Investigation Services refused to assist officers on the call, according to the report.


Deaths investigated
TUBA CITY — Navajo Nation Police from Tuba City and Shiprock are investigating the deaths of two women who died in separate incidents Nov. 14 and Nov. 18. One is possibly alcohol-related and the other is believed to be the result of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Tuba City Police are investigating the death of Nora Begay, 46, of Tonalea who died Nov. 18 from unknown causes. Begay reportedly had been drinking with friends and while talking to one person, fell back unresponsive.

After several attempts to awaken her, the people she had been drinking with became frightened and drove her to the home of Officer Donald Seimy, who lived nearby, police said. The ones who took her to the residence were extremely intoxicated and were arrested for public intoxication, according to police.

There was no sign of trauma or injury to the victim. The investigation is ongoing.

On Nov. 14, Shiprock Police were called to the location of a travel trailer just west of the Navajo Reservation boundary and south of N36 in Fruitland. When police arrived, they found the victim, Tracy Diane Simmons, 36, of Mancos, Colo., unresponsive.

She was pronounced dead on arrival at San Juan Regional Medical Center. The victim, a white female, apparently died of carbon monoxide poisoning, possibly coming from a generator that was found running inside the trailer.


Beating victim
TUBA CITY — Navajo Nation Police received a call Nov. 12 from Navajo Security Officer Jacob Begay, requesting an officer to respond to an open field south of Greyhills Estates in Tuba City regarding a male subject who had been found severely beaten and lying on a dirt road near the field.

Officers responded to the scene at 6:47 a.m. and found Tyrone Poyer, 20, lying on the ground with his pants pulled down and gathered around his ankles. His face was swollen and bloody and he was shivering and gasping for breath, police said.

Poyer was covered with a blanket by police until emergency medical technicians arrived. The victim was placed in the ambulance and taken to the emergency room at Tuba City Regional Health Care Corp. The victim had no identification on him at the time he was found.

Officers notified the Tuba City Police dispatcher to contact the on-call criminal investigator for assistance and the scene was secured until Criminal Investigator Michael Begay arrived. Officers then were notified that the victim was going to be flown out to a trauma center in Phoenix.

Security Officer Begay told Tuba City Police that he had found a vehicle parked at Greyhills Estates apartments with the driver side door ajar. Officers followed some shoe prints into the apartment section and noticed they were the same as those found by the security officer. They also found drops of blood on the sidewalk and road and followed the trail of blood in a westerly direction on East Drive, where it ended just south of a playground.

Area residents reported to officers that they heard loud noises and voices during the night and early that morning coming from a location near one of the apartments. Officers followed the drops of blood to one of the apartments where evidence was collected and suspects identified.

The case was referred to Criminal Investigations.