Staff Reports
STEALING A CAR IN ALBUQUERQUE
Gallup, Aug. 16
A man is facing charges now after he reportedly stole a car in Albuquerque and drove it to Gallup.
On Aug. 16, around 10:45 am, Gallup Police Officer Gabrian Lee was dispatched to Rehoboth High School after a stolen car was reportedly seen in the area. The man who had called Metro Dispatch said he’d filed a report with the Albuquerque Police the day before. The man’s friend had reportedly left their phone in the car, and it pinged saying it was near the school.
The vehicle was a red Honda Civic. When Lee arrived at the scene, he noticed a vehicle matching that description parked at the former Rehoboth gym under a tree. There was reportedly four people in the car.
Lee and another officer asked the occupants to get out of the vehicle multiple times, and when they didn’t respond the officers reportedly placed stop sticks under the vehicle.
The driver, who was eventually identified as Pedro Apachito, 44, eventually did get out of the vehicle and Lee placed him in the back of his patrol car.
According to Lee’s report, Apachito was highly intoxicated and was unable to give a statement.
A tow truck was called to transport the vehicle to the Gallup Police Department so the victim could eventually pick it up there.
Lee transported Apachito to the NCI Detox Center so he could sober up a little bit, and then he wrote up a warrant for his arrest for receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle. Apachito was served the warrant the following day. His preliminary hearing in Gallup Magistrate Court was scheduled for Aug. 26. No further information was available at press time.
CRUMPLING UP FOIL
Gallup, Aug. 15
A man is facing multiple charges after he tried to crumple up the aluminum foil he was allegedly using to smoke fentanyl when an officer caught him. He also reportedly gave the officer a fake name.
On Aug. 15 around 3:45 pm, Gallup Police Officer Jordan Gemme was on duty checking out the area of Dynamite Furniture, 1102 E. Hwy. 66, when he reportedly noticed a man sitting down slumped over. The man was eventually identified as Collin Martin, 27.
Martin was reportedly asleep when Gemme approached him. According to his report, Gemme noticed a piece of aluminum foil in Martin’s left hand, and a plastic straw which contained some sort of residue in his right hand.
Gemme woke Martin up, and asked him to hand him the aluminum foil. Martin allegedly tried to crumple the foil up and hide the straw inside his pants pocket. Gemme prevented him from doing so, and took the aluminum foil and straw away from him.
When Gemme inspected the foil, he reportedly found the remnants of a small circular blue pill, which he identified as fentanyl. He told Martin to stand up, and placed him in handcuffs.
Gemme then conducted a standard body search, and he reportedly found two additional pieces of aluminum foil on Martin. One piece reportedly contained a partially burnt, small blue pill, which Gemme again identified as fentanyl.
Martin reportedly initially identified himself as “Darrell Willie,” but Metro Dispatch couldn’t find any information matching that name. Gemme told Martin that Metro Dispatch hadn’t found him in the system, and Martin eventually gave him his real name and date of birth.
Metro Dispatch informed Gemme that Martin had a warrant out for his arrest. Gemme transported Martin to the McKinley County Adult Detention Center, where he was booked for his outstanding warrant, possession of a controlled substance, and tampering with evidence. As of Aug. 26, no court dates have been scheduled for Martin in regards to the new charges.
