Fifth exposure death of year reported

By Leslie Wood
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Community Service Aides for the Gallup Police Department found a man dead in a northside field early this morning.

Erin Toadlena-Pablo, a spokeswoman for department, said officials suspect the man died from exposure in the field behind Dairy Queen at U.S. 491. He was identified as 30-year-old Darrell Jim, of Twin Lakes. Jim's death marks the fifth suspected exposure death of the winter. CSAs were conducting their nightly patrol of area ditches when they found Jim deceased at about 1:20 a.m. He was not wearing a shirt and had no identification inside his clothing.

Officers were able to learn Jim's identity by calling phone numbers that were programmed in his cell phone, which was found near his body.

Toadlena-Pablo said Jim was transported to Albuquerque to undergo an autopsy to determine his official cause of death. Officials do not suspect foul play.

Earlier this morning, CSAs found a man who complained of a lack of feeling in his legs due to the cold. The man was resting in the field behind Ed Corley Nissan at about 1 a.m.

The man was transported to Gallup Indian Medical Center where he was diagnosed with hypothermia, Toadlena-Pablo said. He is recovering at the hospital.