Flagstaff, AZ – Thirty-one year old Clinton Tsinnie of Tuba City, Arizona was arrested by Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies on Sunday, January 13, 2013 for three counts of aggravated assault stemming from an incident that occurred on Friday evening.

Investigators believe that Mr. Tsinnie and the thirty-two year old male victim who know each other hitchhiked from Tuba City to Flagstaff for the purpose of taking care of some business. According to information gathered by detectives from a witness and the suspect, the suspect and the victim consumed a significant amount of alcohol after completing their business. While the two were in the area of North Highway 89 and Townsend/Wynona Road attempting to hitchhike back to Tuba City, they got into a verbal disagreement that evolved into a physical altercation. Judging from statements made by the suspect, statements made by a passing motorist witness, and from physical evidence, Detectives believe the suspect knocked the victim to the ground and kicked him in the head and face multiple times inflicting serious facial and head injuries.

Detectives believe that while the suspect was kicking the victim, the victim lost consciousness and the suspect continued to kick him. The suspect was arrested for three counts of aggravated assault involving the circumstances of the infliction of serious physical injury, the infliction of serious disfiguring injuries, and assault of the victim while he was incapacitated. The victim remains in the Flagstaff Medical Center where he is being treated for his injuries.