Staff Reports
Featured DWI
Anthony Leland III
Dec. 2, 5:10 pm
DWI Felony (Fourth)
A 39-year-old Tohatchi man was found under the influence in a no-parking zone inside a running car without a valid license.
Gallup Police Officer Christopher Dawes responded around 5:10 pm on Dec. 2 to reports of a man passed out in the driver seat of a blue Jeep Cherokee at the Maverick East gas station, located at 3540 E. Hwy. 66.
According to the police report, Dawes walked over to the vehicle and saw a man in the driver’s seat with his head facing downward and his chin leaning against his chest with the vehicle’s engine running.
Dawes knocked on the driver’s side window several times but there was no response. He took the keys out of the ignition and placed them on the roof of the vehicle.
The occupant of the vehicle, identified as Anthony Leland III, was asked if he knew where he was at and he answered “Yes” but then did not respond further.
Leland, 39, told Dawes that he drove from Tohatchi in the condition he was in and did not respond when asked when his last drink was. According to Dawes’ report, he asked Leland to step out of the vehicle due to a strong smell of alcohol coming from the car.
Gallup Police Officer Ryan Boucher, who was also at the scene, assisted Leland in removing his seatbelt as he stepped out of the vehicle, struggling to keep his balance.
Leland was asked if he wanted to do a field sobriety test but he declined. He was then placed under arrest for allegedly driving while under the influence of liquor and driving without a license.
He was taken to Rehoboth Medical Christian Hospital for blood work due to a fourth DWI offense then taken to McKinley County Jail. His first appearance hearing was set for Dec. 4.
Featured DWI
Roman Benally
Dec. 9, 4:30 pm
DWI Felony (Third)
A 48-year-old Yah-ta-hey man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after allegedly passing out in his vehicle in a grocery store parking lot and swerving on a highway in Gallup.
McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy Dominic Molina responded around 4:15 pm to reports of a possible drunk driver behind the wheel of a gray Mazda who allegedly pulled into a parking lot at T&R Market on U.S. Highway 491, according to the deputy’s report.
Upon arrival, Molina approached the vehicle from the driver’s side and knocked on the window. After multiple attempts, the suspect unlocked the door and opened it. A strong odor of alcoholic beverages was reported coming from inside the vehicle.
The driver, identified as Roman Benally, said he was coming from Gallup and that he had two alcoholic drinks earlier that day. Benally told the deputy that he and a friend had the drinks in a mall parking lot and went to the market to buy bread.
Molina reported that Benally was slurring his words and had bloodshot eyes. He was asked to submit to a field sobriety test and declined. Benally was then arrested due to his slurred speech and strong smell of alcohol.
According to Molina’s report, during his arrest, Benally tried to pull away from him and walk away. He eventually cooperated and was handcuffed and placed in a patrol vehicle. He refused a breathalyzer test, and his car was towed shortly afterward at the scene.
Benally reportedly has six prior arrests related to driving while under the influence, with four of them being dismissed in court. He was convicted in 2002 and 2005 for DWI. This is his third DWI offense. Benally was also reportedly caught with a suspended license due to prior convictions.
He was booked at the McKinley County Adult Detention Center without incident. His first pretrial hearing is set for Jan. 9.
Name: Michael Lee Young
Age: 40
Arrested: Dec. 7
Charge: Aggravated DWI
Status: Pretrial hearing on Jan. 7
Name: Cheryl Marie Begay
Age: 47
Arrested: Dec. 7
Charge: Aggravated DWI
Status: Pretrial hearing on Jan. 9
Name: Juliet Benally
Age: 26
Arrested: Dec. 4
Charge: Aggravated DWI
Status: Pretrial hearing on Jan. 7
Name: Milroy Vandever
Age: 52
Arrested: Dec. 3
Charge: Aggravated DWI
Status: Arraignment on Dec. 23
