Farmington man accused of stabbing outside office supply store

• Ambrose Yazzie is accused of aggravated battery and shoplifting.
• He was incarcerated today at the San Juan County Adult Detention Center on a $5,000 cash or surety bond.
• Yazzie's preliminary hearing is set for Tuesday afternoon in Farmington Magistrate Court.

FARMINGTON — A Farmington man is accused of stabbing a man outside an office supply store and shoplifting from a sporting goods store.

Ambrose Yazzie, 25, is accused of a third-degree felony count of aggravated battery, along with a petty misdemeanor count of shoplifting, according to court records.

Yazzie is accused of stabbing a man on Nov. 10 outside the Farmington OfficeMax/Office Depot store and shoplifting a hatchet from Sportsman's Warehouse, according to the probable cause statement.

He did not have legal representation today.

Officers for the Farmington Police Department were dispatched around 1:40 p.m. on Nov. 10 to the OfficeMax at 4901 E. Main St.  on a report of people fighting, according to court documents.

Officers arriving on the scene found the alleged male victim bleeding from his left arm, and a large laceration was found above his left wrist.

He told police a man later identified as Yazzie approached him and his friend in the parking lot and wanted to fight behind the OfficeMax.

Yazzie allegedly pulled out a pocket knife while the men were walking, and started swinging it and charging toward the alleged victim and his friend, according to court documents.

The alleged victim stated his friend was injured, as well, but his friend refused to talk to officers about the alleged incident. The alleged victim was transported by ambulance to the San Juan Regional Medical Center.

Another officer arrived on scene and entered the Albertsons grocery store. She observed Yazzie exiting the bathroom and took him into custody.

A detective on the case spoke to Sportsman's Warehouse employees and watched video surveillance footage showing Yazzie allegedly placing a hatchet from the store in his pants.

Yazzie later allegedly removed the hatchet near the exit of the store after security was paged over the store's intercom, according to court documents.

The suspect denied any involvement in an altercation with the alleged victim.

Court records show Yazzie has a pending case in Farmington Magistrate Court for alleged aggravated battery, larceny and retaining stolen property. He was incarcerated today at the San Juan County Adult Detention Center on a $5,000 cash or surety bond.

Yazzie's preliminary hearing is set for Tuesday afternoon in Farmington Magistrate Court.

Joshua Kellogg covers crime, courts and social issues for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4627 or via email at jkellogg@daily-times.com.