Navajo County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Kennedy is under investigation by his department after a Holbrook citizen claimed that the deputy failed to investigate an incident after he was approached on Saturday, Oct. 31, and told that a man who appeared to be intoxicated was looking into vehicles, checking their doors and behaving aggressively at the Safeway parking lot.

Navajo County Chief Deputy Sheriff Jim Molesa confirmed that a citizen filed a complaint with his department, alleging that the deputy informed her it was a Holbrook Police Department concern, not the sheriff’s office’s, and would not investigate.

Shortly after the alleged conversation, the HPD received a call that a truck parked near Safeway had been stolen by a man who had been checking vehicles in the parking lot. According to the report, an officer responded to the Exit 285 on ramp of Interstate 40 and interviewed witnesses who stated that they had seen the man checking various vehicles before getting into a white 2015 Ford 350 truck and driving erratically along the road prior to heading west on I-40. Tools were also strewn across the roadway, as the owner of the truck had been working at a nearby residence and had tools in the back of the truck with the tailgate down.

Trooper Mike Wischmann of the Arizona Department of Public Safety and Deputy Kennedy pursued the vehicle along the interstate, through Winslow and on to State Route 87, where the driver lost control of the vehicle near milepost 317 and it rolled before coming to a stop. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Cornell Begay, 28, of Keams Canyon. Begay was transported to Little Colorado Medical Center for treatment of his injuries, then was booked into the Navajo County Jail and charged with theft of a means of transportation, unlawful flight from a law enforcement officer, reckless driving, endangerment, DUI, criminal damage and aggravated assault.

Molesa stated that the claims made by the citizen are under investigation and added, “If the allegations are proven to be true, then we’ll take disciplinary action regarding the deputy. If these turn out to be false claims, then criminal charges could be filed against the person that made them.”