Staff Reports
A man was shot in the thigh during an alleged road rage incident.
On July 6 around 7:30 pm, McKinley County McKinley County Sheriff deputies were dispatched to the area of Family Dollar in Yatahey in reference to a reckless driver. According to an affidavit for an arrest warrant, the vehicle was described as a “silver Dodge Ram 2500 with unknown Arizona license plates.” Deputies searched the area but did not locate the truck.
A short while later, around 8 pm, Navajo Police Officer Jay Yazzie in Window Rock called Metro Dispatch and informed deputies to check the area of Speedy’s in Blackhat, N.M., in reference to a road rage incident that ended in a shooting. Deputies searched the area in Blackhat and again, did not locate the vehicle.
Yazzie reportedly told the deputies that a victim had been shot and taken to the Fort Defiance hospital.
Deputies drove to the hospital, but they couldn’t speak to the victim right away as he was receiving medical treatment. They did, however, speak to the victim’s girlfriend.
According to an affidavit for an arrest warrant, the couple was driving from Gallup when a white Dodge Ram pickup driven by a man who was later identified as Esidro Olguin, began driving aggressively around them. Olguin, 31, was allegedly trying to drive around them by driving onto the median of State Highway 264.
The victim’s girlfriend said they tried to let the Dodge Ram pickup pass by them, but Olguin refused to do so. Instead, when they exited the construction zone, Olguin pulled up beside them and allegedly acted as if he wanted to race. The victim’s girlfriend said neither she or her boyfriend were interested in racing.
Suddenly, Olguin rolled down his passenger side window and pointed a gun at the couple.
Olguin reportedly fired two shots towards them. The first shot hit the driver’s side door and struck the victim in his left thigh. The second shot allegedly ricocheted off the driver’s side window.
After Olguin fired the two shots he allegedly made a U-turn and headed eastbound on State Highway 264. The victim pulled over and switched seats with his girlfriend so she could drive him to the hospital.
She reportedly was speeding, and they got pulled over by a Navajo Police Officer, who then escorted them to the hospital.
During the investigation the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office spoke to a passenger who was reportedly riding in Olguin’s Dodge truck at the time of the shooting. That passenger confirmed that Olguin was the driver of the Dodge Ram and that he was the person who shot at the victim.
A warrant was issued for Olguin’s arrest and he was booked into the McKinley County Adult Detention Center July 17. He is facing charges of aggravated battery, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, and battery with intention to commit a violent felony. His preliminary examination in Gallup Magistrate Court was scheduled for July 30.
