Patrolman Dale Claxton was killed after stopping a stolen water truck on County Road 27. The incident occurred at the McElmo Creek bridge when one of three suspects in the vehicle opened fire with a fully automatic rifle, shooting Claxton 18 times before he could exit his patrol car.
Following the initial shooting, the suspects fled the scene and were pursued by other officers. During a subsequent gun battle, two deputies from the Montezuma County Sheriff's Office sustained gunshot wounds. The suspects managed to steal another pickup truck before escaping into a canyon-filled area of the state.
The search for the suspects involved over 500 officers from four different states and the National Guard. In early June 1998, one suspect was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head after wounding a San Juan County Sheriff's Office deputy. The skeletal remains of a second suspect were discovered in November 1999, while the remains of the third suspect were located in Utah in June 2007.
Patrolman Claxton served with the Cortez Police Department for three years. He is survived by his wife, four children, and a granddaughter. In honor of his service, the badge number Lobo 11 was permanently retired. One of his sons later became a police officer with the same department.
