Driver barrels through Native American parade, sending 15 to hospital, NM cops say
A 33-year-old driver was arrested after, police say, he plowed his SUV through a Native American parade in New Mexico.
The Aug. 4 incident at the Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Centennial Celebration sent 15 people to the hospital, New Mexico State Police said in a news release.
Police received a report of a man drinking alcohol in a beige Chevrolet Tahoe parked along the parade’s route around 7:50 p.m.
As two officers approached the vehicle on foot, “the driver put the Tahoe into drive and took off,” police said. Both officers were injured.
Then the SUV driver drove through the parade, police said. Police “attempted to move spectators out of the Tahoe’s path.”
Onlookers caught parts of the incident on camera.
One video, with the caption “We’re never going to a parade again,” shows the man drive through the parade, where children are dancing nearby. The crowd begins screaming as people usher themselves out of the driver’s path.
Officers are then seen chasing after the vehicle.
Once the driver left the parade, he struck a parked vehicle, police said. Then, he backed into a police car.
Officers arrested the driver, Jeff Kenn Irving, of Pinedale The two other occupants of the SUV were “detained and taken to the Gallup Detox Center,” police said.
Irving faces several charges, including aggravated DWI, accident involving injury or great bodily harm, accident involving personal injuries, aggravated fleeing, driving with a suspended or revoked license, expired registration and driving without insurance.
“At this time, there is no reason to suspect this crime was motivated by hate. In addition, no shots were fired during this incident,” police said.
Fifteen people were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. No one was killed.
“We’re incredibly saddened and shocked by the life-threatening and traumatic incident that took place last night when a vehicle drove through the Ceremonial Night Parade,” Intertribal Ceremonial Office Executive Director Melissa Sanchez said in a news release. “We await as law enforcement continues to gather the facts regarding this ongoing situation. Right now, safety is the top priority for community members, participants, travelers, and event staff and volunteers.”
This story was originally published August 5, 2022 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Driver barrels through Native American parade, sending 15 to hospital, NM cops say."
