At 1:12 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 17, Holbrook police officers responded to a report of a stolen vehicle from Circle K, located at 101 Mission Lane. According to Police Chief Nathan Christensen, suspect fled southbound on Navajo Blvd. and entered onto Interstate 40 westbound at the 286 Interchange. Reports were received of the vehicle driving recklessly before it was found shortly thereafter, unoccupied and stuck in the median near Milepost 285.5. Shoe impressions indicated the subject fled south across the interstate, then off of the interstate into the backyard of a residence on 14th Avenue. Officers contacted the subject near West Buffalo and 12th Avenue where he jumped a fence into another yard and fled on foot. Police continued to follow leads received in the case and after more than an hour, the subject was located on 6th Avenue in the alley between West Buffalo and West Arizona Streets. As a precaution, schools in the area were on lockdown during the search. The suspect, identified as Lester Yazzie Jr., 35, of Houck was arrested for theft of a means of transportation and booked into the Navajo County Jail. Deputies from the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, officers from the Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers, including a helicopter and Navajo County Probation assisted in the search. Holbrook Police reminds the public that people are considered innocent until proven guilty.
