Prisoner transport vehicle crashes

By Leslie Wood
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Four inmates and a McKinley County corrections officer were transported to a local hospital for treatment of the minor injuries they sustained during a traffic accident on Thursday morning.

Donna Goodrich, the warden for the McKinley County Adult Detention Center, said the jail employee was en route to Flagstaff, Ariz. at about 5 a.m. to meet an official with a Peach Springs, Ariz. jail, who would then transport the female inmates to the Arizona facility.

The inmates were temporarily incarcerated at the Gallup facility as part of a housing agreement between the entities. Goodrich said it is common for jail officials to exchange inmates at a half way point such as Flagstaff. As the guard and inmates passed the Arizona state line along Interstate 40, the road conditions began to deteriorate. Because of the icy roadways, the guard decided to drive back to Gallup rather than risk driving in poor conditions.

Goodrich said the guard took an exit about 10 miles past the stateline; however, the transport vehicle slid into an embankment and onto its side during the drive back to Gallup.

The guard and inmates were taken to a local hospital for minor scrapes and bruises. No serious injuries were reported. Goodrich said she visited the guard and inmates at the hospital. All four were released by mid-afternoon, she said.