SHIPROCK, NM — A Shiprock Police officer found himself stranded on U.S. 491 Saturday morning after a handcuffed prisoner drove off with his police cruiser. Three other handcuffed people were also in the vehicle.

Officer Nelson Peterson had responded to a gas theft at the Shiprock Citco station. "He located the suspect’s vehicle and stopped it on U.S. 491," Shiprock Police Lt. Clarence Bilagody said Tuesday.

As he approached the vehicle the suspects took off. Peterson then pursued the vehicle south on U.S. 491. It stopped after hitting another car, Bilagody said.

Peterson arrested Tiwana Curley, Candice Redhouse, Arlana Bitah and Jackie Saltwater — whose ages and hometowns were unavailable. He put them into his police vehicle — a 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe.

As he was checking on the occupants of the other car, one of the prisoners climbed into the front seat of the police vehicle and drove away, Bilagody said.

A Navajo Nation Fish and Wildlife vehicle took off after the stolen police vehicle. A second police vehicle picked up Peterson. Additional officers pursued the stolen police vehicle, which turned west at Table Mesa.

The pursuit ended when the stolen vehicle could go no further.

"It got stuck in a wash," Bilagody said. "All four suspects then took off on foot but officers were able to locate them," he added.


Jim Snyder: jims@daily-times.com

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