College sports - The Durango Herald

NCAA moving toward hyperlocal solution to NIL

Patchwork solution a temporary fix

DATE: Jun 24, 2021 | CATEGORY: AP Sports

Commissioners dig into CFP expansion; Pac-12 pushes autobids

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — College Football Playoff expansion took another step forward Friday as the full group of commissioners who manage the postseason system wrapped up two days of digging ...

DATE: Jun 18, 2021 | CATEGORY: Sports

Reeves resigns from Fort Lewis College softball

Skyhawks looking for third coach in six years

DATE: Jun 11, 2021 | CATEGORY: Sports

Center of attention: Durango’s Joshua Bates raking in big college football offers

Colorado, Colorado State and Oregon already calling 2023 prospect

DATE: May 21, 2021 | CATEGORY: Sports

Homers extend, end season for Fort Lewis College softball

Long balls story of the day at RMAC tournament

DATE: May 14, 2021 | CATEGORY: Sports

Wyoming school snaps up Bayfield’s Roberts

Middle moving on to Laramie County Community College

DATE: May 14, 2021 | CATEGORY: Sports

Skyhawks softball falls to Colorado Christian at RMAC tournament

Fort Lewis got tying run to plate in seventh

DATE: May 13, 2021 | CATEGORY: Sports

Pac-12 picks MGM executive Kliavkoff as next commissioner

The Pac-12 hired George Kliavkoff to be the conference's next commissioner on Thursday, replacing Larry Scott with another college sports outsider and charging him with rebuilding the league's football brand.

DATE: May 13, 2021 | CATEGORY: Sports

Semifinal loss ends season for Fort Lewis College women’s lacrosse

10th-ranked Regis too powerful for young Skyhawks

DATE: May 7, 2021 | CATEGORY: Sports

Edwards in contention at Division II super regional

Fort Lewis College junior fires 2-under opening round

DATE: May 6, 2021 | CATEGORY: Sports

Salisbury leads Skyhawks golf at Southern Colorado Masters

Men’s golf having strong season going into conference tournament

DATE: May 3, 2021 | CATEGORY: College Sports

Edwards ends super regional drought for Fort Lewis College men’s golf

Edwards headlines massive improvement for Skyhawks golf

DATE: Apr 30, 2021 | CATEGORY: College Sports

Photos: Where there's smoke there's firefightersDurango firefighters take advantage of the old River City Hall building for training

Durango firefighters take advantage of the old River City Hall building for training

Photos: Durango plays Montezuma-Cortez in boys, girls high school basketballDurango girls and boys basketball teams defeat Montezuma-Cortez at DHS

Durango girls and boys basketball teams defeat Montezuma-Cortez at DHS

Year in photos: A look back at Southwest Colorado in 2024Each year brings some of the new and some of the old – breaking news and cherished traditions. It is the people, their emotions, different cultures and varied forms of entertainment that make for impactful images. Add to that Southwest Colorado’s gorgeous scenery, abundant wildlife and range of weather events, and you have the makings for stunning photos. We hope you enjoy Photo Editor Jerry McBride’s photos from 2024.

Each year brings some of the new and some of the old – breaking news and cherished traditions. It is...

Montezuma County DA Christian Hatfield charged with DWICharges come 16 weeks after crash near Farmington, New MexicoMontezuma County District Attorney Christian Hatfield was charged Friday with driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs 16 weeks after he crashed his SUV on U.S. Highway 64 outside Bloomfield.The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office charged Hatfield, 59, with petty misdemeanor charge of DWI and an open container in connection to the Aug. 30 single-car crash.The charges come after results from a blood test by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory showed alcohol and a drug in Hatfield’s body after the crash.

“The results show that at the time of the blood draw, which was approximately eleven hours after the time of the crash due to medical issues, were 0.05 g/100 ml of Ethanol and 0.04 mg/L of Zolpidem (Ambien). Both Ethanol and Ambien are Central Nervous System Depressants,” the law enforcement report states.Two vials of blood were taken from Hatfield at 1:33 p.m. Aug. 30, which was more than 12 hours after the crash occurred about 1 a.m. Those vials were received by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory at 10:26 a.m. Oct. 11, which was six weeks after the crash, according to records from the lab.An investigation into the blood warrant by The Journal newspaper in Cortez, Colorado, showed that the blood sample sat in a refrigerator at the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office until Oct. 3, because paperwork to send it to the state laboratory was not processed.“I think it’s a non-prosecutable case because of all the errors made by law enforcement,” said Arlon Stoker, a high-profile defense attorney secured by Hatfield to fight the charges.

The charges made by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office are “based on the observations made by law enforcement officers on scene and the presence of intoxicating drugs and liquors in Christian's blood,” according to the report that was given to The Journal by the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government.Amanda Lavin, legal director for NMFOG, assisted The Journal in accessing public records from the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office in Aztec. The records had been redacted, leaving out Hatfield’s name and information about the blood warrant filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court.Public records requests by The Journal and the Tri-City Record went unresolved for 14 weeks.The Journal requested body camera footage and lapel camera video on Sept. 3.The Tri-City Record requested any and all warrants, investigative reports and laboratory reports as well as photos, lapel cam videos and dash cam videos on Oct. 23.On Dec. 9, Lavin made the same requests.

The Journal received access to photos and videos in an email on Dec. 19, and Lavin, after making a legal argument for unredacted information, received the full report Dec. 19 and was advised that charges would be forthcoming.The report detailing the crash states that Hatfield was found “unresponsive and barely able to stand” about 1 a.m. Aug. 30 near the intersection of U.S. Highway 64 and County Road 5099.Investigators and medics noted a “pungent” odor of alcohol coming from Hatfield, and investigators found “an open 12-ounce can of Mexican Lager with residual liquid inside,” an “empty wine glass,” and a “bottle of Ambien prescribed to Christian,” according to the report.The affidavit for search warrant for blood submitted by sheriff’s deputy Avery Killifer states he had an “opinion that the defendant was driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a controlled substance.” The deputy “placed the defendant under arrest” at the time, but Hatfield was taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center, because of “extensive injuries.”A summons was issued for Hatfield, and an arraignment is set for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 8 in Aztec Magistrate Court.

Charges come 16 weeks after crash near Farmington, New Mexico