I-40 Road Rage
Incident between trucker, motorist leads to shooting

By Leslie Wood
Staff writer

GALLUP — A 43-year-old man was arrested Saturday after he allegedly fired shots at tractor-trailer as it traveled along Interstate Highway 40 near Sky City.

Harlon Harrison was booked into the McKinley County Adult Detention Center at about 10:30 p.m. after an alleged incident of road rage.

Police said the shots came in retaliation after the truck’s driver allegedly swerved along the roadway and did not allow Harrison to pass.

Sgt. Andrew Tingwall, a public information officer for the New Mexico State Police, said 25-year-old Monhannad Idias, the truck’s driver, reported Harrison fired shots at his vehicle near mile marker 102.

Idias tracked Harrison as he traveled along the interstate and informed police of his location at mile marker 42. Police stopped Harrison’s vehicle and saw him throw a firearm and a live .38-special round from his silver Chevrolet Suburban, but later recovered the weapon and five casings.

Harrison was accompanied by his wife Donna Harrison at the time of the alleged shooting.

Investigators also found a bullet hole in the side of the tractor-trailer near the fuel tank; however, no injuries were reported.

Authorities said Harrison initially denied that he fired the shots, but later admitted to the allegations when his wife told police he fired the shots from the passenger side window.

Harrison was subsequently arrested for shooting from a motor vehicle. Authorities photographed the damaged truck and then released it to Idias. Donna Harrison was not arrested in connection with the incident.