ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A man is facing assault and firearms charges following an incident that happened in late May of this year in Shiprock. Tyrell Willie, 37, appeared in a preliminary and detention hearing before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on Thursday.
Court documents say on May 28, Willie allegedly drove to the house of a woman (identified as Jane Doe) he had recently met on Facebook. Doe came out to Willie’s truck and got in the passenger seat. The criminal complaint states Willie became upset after a discussion between the two and got out of the truck, walked to the passenger side, and attempted to throw Jane Doe out. Doe screamed and her son, identified in court documents as John Doe, came out of the house and threw Willie to the ground. Jane then got out of the truck and Willie got back in and drove away.
She says she believed she saw Willie circle the block twice before leaving. John thought he heard Willie’s truck approaching about 30 minutes later and went outside. Jane saw Willie’s truck pull up with the lights off. She then heard gunshots and John yelling. When she came outside, Jane saw John holding his midsection.
Soon after, Jane was able to flag down two Navajo Police Department officers, who were responding to calls of a truck driving erratically in the neighborhood. One officer went after Willie and the other took John Doe to the hospital.
The officer chasing Willie found him stalled on the side of the road and conducted a traffic stop. Willie got out of the truck holding a shotgun but slid the gun under the truck after the officer ordered him to drop the gun.
Willie is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and the use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. If convicted, he faces a minimum of 10 years in prison.
