Ryan Westman (Courtesy: San Juan Co. Sheriff's Office)
The US Marshals SWIFT Task Force located the vehicle near Valero gas station off of East Main Street near the Chili's Restaurant. In an effort to flee, the suspect put officers and civilians in danger and Task Force officers fired shots that struck the suspect. A pursuit ensued after shots were fired and a PIT maneuver was made by an officer in an attempt to stop the suspect, which caused the suspect to lose control of the vehicle near CR 350 and US 64.
From the San Juan County Sheriff's Office:
Earlier Thursday, January 25, 2018, local agencies were engaged in a vehicle pursuit of a violent suspect from McKinley County; Ryan Westman (1992) is wanted for aggravated battery out of McKinley County. The vehicle fled from Shiprock Police Department and Farmington Police Department and we launched our helicopter to assist with the pursuit. The pursuit was eventually called off until the suspect was located by law enforcement again Thursday evening.
The US Marshals SWIFT Task Force located the vehicle near Valero gas station off of East Main Street (pictured) near the Chili's Restaurant. In an effort to flee, the suspect put officers and civilians in danger and Task Force officers fired shots that struck the suspect. A pursuit ensued after shots were fired and a PIT maneuver was made by an officer in an attempt to stop the suspect, which caused the suspect to lose control of the vehicle near CR 350 and US 64 (pictured).
The suspect was then taken into custody and is currently being treated at San Juan Regional Medical Center for a gunshot wound. It does not appear to be life threatening at this time. The San Juan County Sheriff's Office will be leading the investigation into the officer involved shooting and we will provide more updates as they become available.
The governor’s visit was carefully scheduled to give first responders, law enforcement and emergency vehicles ample time to complete rescues and other emergency work during the flooding. Now that the floodwaters are receding and initial damage assessments are underway, the Governor will survey the disaster zone and work to get families the help they need.
Bloomfield Residents and businesses: please minimize water use until further notice. Postpone laundry and dishwasher use, keep showers brief, and reduce toilet flushing when practical and sanitary. Every reduction helps limit wastewater entering the river.
The district has worked with the Lower Valley Water Users Association on the testing needed to lift the boil water notice. Because of the number of tests required, the district has decided to keep students on remote learning as a precaution for their well-being. If test results come back early, the district must still follow processes and protocols to flush and clear the water lines at each school before in-person instruction can resume. Safety is our top priority for the well-being of our Kirtland students.
Water Samples taken from the Lower Valley Water Association system have tested negative for e-coli. The Boil Water notice has been lifted for customers.
Through the course of the investigation, detectives discovered that Lauren Patterson’s husband, Jess Patterson, had previously resided in California and had been arrested at least 6 times for domestic violence in that state and had been arrested in July 2026 in New Mexico for battering Ms. Patterson. An autopsy revealed Ms. Patterson suffered multiple broken bones, bruising, and internal injuries.