Gallup man attacks police

By Philip Stake
Staff writer

GALLUP — Kelson Skeet, 18, of Gallup, is being held on $15,000 cash bond after attacking two police officers early Wednesday morning. He faces nine charges including three counts of aggravated battery upon a peace officer; two counts of assault upon a peace officer; two counts of battery upon a peace officer; and one count each of battery upon a household member and interference with communications.

The incident, which sent one officer to Rehoboth McKinley Christian Hospital, occurred in the parking lot at 602 Dani Drive around midnight. Veteran Gallup Police Officer Valerie Wilson was on routine patrol with an officer in training when the two observed a domestic dispute between a man and a woman, according to the police report. The man, later identified as Skeet, held a Budweiser beer can in his left hand, and as officers approached in the cruiser, he pulled it back as if he were going to throw it.

“What are you going to do about it?” he said, according to the report.

He put the can in his right hand and pulled back again but this time, the woman, later identified as Ashley Arthur, stepped between Skeet and the cruiser.

Wilson and Officer Josie Bowman, who recently graduated the academy, walked around to place Skeet under arrest for assault. Wilson had the cuffs off her belt and took hold of Skeet’s left arm as Bowman took hold of his right arm. Skeet resisted, violently, attacking Bowman with an elbow to her right temple, twice. Wilson acted quickly by pulling the Taser from the left side of her belt and warning her partner she was about to use it on the 5-foot-10-inch, 200-pound man.

Bowman attempted to call for backup, but Skeet held her arm and grabbed her radio. She felt the electrical surge as the Taser prongs penetrated Skeet’s right thigh near the pocket. Skeet turned to Wilson and, with a closed fist, repeatedly punched her in the face. Wilson attempted to drive-stun Skeet, who fled north on Dani Drive.

Bowman chose not to pursue after observing her partner’s bloodied and swollen face. Instead she called for backup and medical help.

Gallup Police deployed the K-9 unit to search for Skeet but never found him. Two hours later he was seen walking near the sports complex on Park Avenue. Officer Donald Howard made the arrest without incident and found Taser prongs still attached to Skeet’s pants.

Skeet, born July 30, 1990, had just celebrated his 18th birthday.