Fruitland man pleads guilty to attacking vehicle with machete

A Fruitland man is facing up to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty earlier this month to assault with a dangerous weapon, and aiding and abetting in federal court.

Brandon Barber, 38, a member of the Navajo Nation, was charged in connection with a 2022 incident in Nenahnezad, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.

In his plea agreement, Barber admitted that on May 9 of that year, his co-defendant, Lindsey Yazzie, threw a large rock at the windshield of a Jeep Patriot being driven by a woman, forcing her to stop the vehicle. Barber then used a machete and hatchet to strike the Jeep’s windshield and windows while the two of them pulled the driver from the vehicle, with Barber yelling, “I’m going to hit you! Get out!”

According to the plea agreement, Barber then stole the woman’s Jeep, picking up Yazzie as a passenger. As the two tried to flee the scene, the victim stood in the road, leading Barber to accelerate the Jeep toward her, causing the woman to jump out of the way to keep from being hit.

Officers from the Navajo Police Department pursued Barber and Yazzie, with Barber leading the officers on a high-speed chase, which the officers were forced to abandon because of public safety concerns. According to The Daily Times archives, the Jeep eventually was found abandoned in Hogback. Yazzie was apprehended nearby, but Barber fled the area. He later was arrested and identified by the victim in a photo array presented to her four days later, according to The Daily Times archives.

More: Man accused of assault, tried to hurt man and woman with machete and hatchet

Barber will remain in custody until his sentencing hearing, which has not been scheduled, the news release states. He faces up to three years of probation when his sentence is complete.

His codefendant, Yazzie, is scheduled to stand trial on July 8.

The case was investigated by the Farmington resident agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque field office with help from the Navajo Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations.

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This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: Brandon Barber faces up to 15 years in federal prison in 2022 incident