Staff Reports
CRUSHING UP A FENTANYL PILL
Gallup, April 13
A man from Ganado, Ariz, was arrested for drug possession after he reportedly crushed up a fentanyl pill in an effort to hide it from a police officer.
On April 13, around 11 am, Gallup Police Officer Darius Johnson was on duty near the Home Depot (530 Kachina St.) after an asset protection officer reported someone stole some items from the store.
The asset protection officer identified the suspect as Anthony White Jr., 31. White was reportedly walking out the door with an item in his jacket.
Johnson stopped White, and he reportedly said he was “sorry for stealing the item” The asset protection officer said he’d recovered the item, and only wanted a trespass notification filed for White.
Johnson ran White’s name through Metro Dispatch, and found out that he had multiple warrants out for his arrest. After learning this, Johnson placed White under arrest and put him in the back of his patrol unit. He then started to fill out the necessary paperwork, and as he did so he allegedly heard White moving around in the backseat.
When Johnson looked in the backseat of his patrol unit, he reportedly saw “small chunks of blue pieces” all over his backseat. Johnson identified the pieces as pill pieces.
White reportedly admitted to having a “blue pill” and he was allegedly trying to get it out of his pocket. In doing so, he accidentally crushed it.
Johnson put on gloves and a mask and tried to gather up as much of the pill residue as possible. White said he only had the one pill.
White reportedly apologized for his actions. Johnson transported him to the McKinley County Adult Detention Center, where he was reportedly booked for possession of a controlled substance and tampering with evidence, along with his outstanding warrant. His preliminary hearing for the new charges was scheduled for April 29 in Gallup Magistrate Court.
THROWING A ROCK AT A LAUNDROMAT
Gallup, March 9
A man is facing property damage charges after he reportedly threw a rock at a laundromat’s window.
On March 9, around 11:30 pm, Gallup Police Officer Vincent Thompson was dispatched to Pronto Laundry, located at 2422 E. Hwy. 66, after an alarm reportedly went off at the business. When he arrived at the scene he noticed a man wearing a gray jacket riding a bike at the intersection of Williams Avenue and East Aztec Avenue.
Thompson told other officers about the man, and then approached the laundromat. According to his report, he noticed that one of the business’ windows was indeed broken, and an alarm was going off.
He went around to the other side of the business and noticed the man on the bike circling the area before heading west on East Aztec Avenue.
The business’ key holder arrived at the scene and allowed Thompson to view footage from right before the alleged break in. According to Thompson’s report, in the video a person wearing a gray jacket can be seen walking on the east side of the business around 11 pm. The person then reportedly picks up a rock, and walks up to the front of the business.
Then the video reportedly shows the yellow flashing light, and the individual riding off on a bike.
The business employee said it would cost about $1,300 to fix the window.
Officer Philamina Chischilly reportedly found the individual wearing a gray jacket riding his bike near Duke City Auto, 1512 E. Hwy. 66, and they eventually stopped at Penny Pinchers, 1301 E. Hwy. 66.
The man was eventually identified as Mark James, 37. He was reportedly upset, and asked Chischilly why police “were f*****g with him.”
James allegedly tried to get away from Chischilly by hopping back on his bike, but ended up leaving it and running northbound instead.
Thompson drafted up a warrant for James’ arrest, and a judge signed off on it. James is facing charges of property damage (over 1,000), and resisting or evading arrest.
Officers served James with the warrant on April 22. His preliminary hearing in Gallup Magistrate Court was scheduled for April 29.
SLEEPING IN A FIELD
Gallup, Feb. 27
A man who was reportedly found asleep in a field is now facing drug possession charges.
Gallup Police Officer Daniel Brown was patrolling the field south of the Interstate 40 east 21 mile marker on Feb. 27 when he saw a man asleep hunched over a shopping cart. The man was later identified as Chaske Cummins, 25.
Cummins allegedly had a lighter in one hand and a burnt piece of aluminum foil in his lap. The foil reportedly had a melted blue pill in it, which Brown identified as fentanyl.
Brown woke Cummins up and arrested him for possession of a controlled substance.
According to Brown’s report, Cummins did say he wanted to get off drugs. Brown provided him with resources related to drug abuse.
Cummins reportedly had a warrant out for his arrest, so he was arrested for that too. His next preliminary hearing in the Feb. 27 case was scheduled for April 29 in Gallup Magistrate Court after he reportedly failed to attend a March 25 hearing.
