Burglar snatches $20,000 from NAPI

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Karen Francis
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — A thief made off with more than $20,000 in cash, credit and checks from the Region II scale office in Fruitland.

Navajo Nation police responded to a report of stolen money from the office on March 22 and met with the safety officer from Navajo Agriculture Products Industry.

Three bags of money were taken from a safe but there were no signs of forced entry into the building or safe, according to the police report.

The money in the bags was from sales made on March 20 and 21.

The case was referred to Shiprock Criminal Investigations.
Traffic fatality

Reckless and drunken driving caused the death of a Mariano Lake man the evening of March 24, according to Navajo Nation police.

Suspect Kale Yazzie was arrested for homicide by vehicle, driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor, reckless driving, no driver’s license, following too closely, possession of liquor and escape from lawful custody in the death of Lester D. Bennett.

Bennett was in a separate vehicle and was either run off the road or hit by Yazzie’s vehicle, according to witnesses.
Medical investigator Richard Malone was on the scene and pronounced Bennett dead on arrival.

Yazzie was transported to the Crownpoint Adult Detention Center.

Traffic stop results in drug arrest

Two women were arrested while traveling through Sanders to Phoenix from Kansas on March 21, according to Navajo Nation police. The K9 unit was used in the incident.

Elizabeth June Murphy and Danielle Distad were arrested for illegal drugs. Currency and marijuana were seized. The case has been referred to Apache County Access Team.