Category Archives: Arizona Department of Public Safety

Rescuers Respond to Calls for Hiking Fall Victims

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Pomeroy Tank Rescue

FLAGSTAFF – On Saturday June 10 at approximately 9:30 am the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Coconino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, Ponderosa Fire District, Lifeline Ambulance, Arizona Department of Public Safety Northern Air Rescue Unit, and Guardian Air Transport responded to a report of an injured adult male hiker who fell approximately 20 feet from a rock at Pomeroy Tanks near Williams.

Sheriff’s Office personnel and EMS personnel located the patient who was suffering from serious injuries. Due to the injuries and the location of the incident, a short haul rescue was performed and the subject was then transported to a waiting air ambulance.

The short haul rescue involved connecting the patient and a rescuer to a rope suspended 150 feet below the helicopter and then flying a short distance to an area suitable for transferring the patient to another helicopter for transport to the hospital. The patient, a 47-year-old male from Phoenix, was transported to Flagstaff Medical Center.

On Monday June 12, 2017 at approximately 8:30 am the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Coconino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, and Guardian Medical Transport responded to a report of a hiker who was injured in a fall in Walnut Canyon near the Canyon Vista Campground.

The adult male hiker was located by paramedics from Guardian Medical and assessed for injuries. Search and Rescue personnel hiked in with a litter and litter wheel to assist with a carry out o the patient to the ambulance at the trail head. The patient, a 63-year-old male from Carrollton, Texas, was transported to Flagstaff Medical Center with serious injuries.

Freeman no longer a free man

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WILLIAMS – All three suspects who fled police this morning are now in custody.

At approximately 10:45 AM, a Yavapai County Sheriff K9 attempted to stop a maroon 4 door sedan for a traffic violation east I-40 in the Ash Fork area. As the vehicle failed to yield, a male passenger appeared to be thrown from the vehicle and was detained.
The k9 unit pursued the vehicle at speeds in excess of 100 mph. The vehicle apparently became disabled and pulled off at milepost 165 near the Bearizona attraction and crashed into a culvert.

One of the remaining two suspects was apprehended almost immediately at the ADOT yard on Route 66 near the Bearizona Wild Life park. The suspect identified as John Dale Freeman fired shots at deputies and fled beginning a six-hour manhunt with units of the Yavapai County and Coconino County Sheriff’s Departments, the Williams Police Department and the Department of Public Safety including the DPS helicopter. The Arizona Department of Transportation also assisted and Kaibab Forest Rangers may have also participated. None of the search party were injured in the event.

Arizona DPS helicopter flies over Williams searching for suspect.


Schools in Williams were locked down as was Bearizona. Guests of Bearizona were gathered in the Gift Shop and Restaurant area for a couple of hours. They were eventually allowed to evacuate the park. Parents of Williams were required to pick up their kids from schools early and kids in outlying areas were bused home at the regular time.

Freeman in custody.


Various reports of sightings of Freeman occurred in Williams with none being confirmed. The search continued in the forested areas around Bearizona until about 3:30 p.m. when Freeman was reported captured outside of Bearizona. The other two suspects have not yet been identified.

Freeman turns from camera while in police vehicle.


Citizens around Williams reported recognizing Freeman as frequenting the Williams area. Others in Flagstaff reported on the Facebook page of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Department that they recognized him around Flagstaff. Freeman may have lived in Williams according to some accounts. Our research shows that Freeman may have a criminal past.

Citizen Involved Shooting on SR87 near Blue Ridge Area

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160628-shooting-1 FLAGSTAFF — Two people are in custody and one person in stable condition after two citizens shot at a suspected DUI driver on SR87 near milepost 278.

On Monday June 27, 2016 around 2:30 pm the Sheriff’s Office received a report from the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) of a shooting that occurred on SR87 near milepost 278. The DPS Troopers had two male subjects detained who were involved in the shooting. Medics were tending to a male victim who had received a gunshot wound to the chest. A Sheriff’s Office Detective responded from our Flagstaff office to investigate the incident.

38-year-old Shane A Tebo and 28-year-old Brandon M. Vongthongthip (both of Phoenix, AZ) were traveling north on SR87 when they observed what they believed to be a DUI driver traveling behind them who they reported was swerving in and out of his lane. They called 911 to report the driver, and an attempt to locate was dispatched to DPS Troopers in the area. Mr. Tebo was driving at the time, and attempted to slow or block the suspected DUI driver. At one point, the suspect DUI driver drove off the road into a ditch. At that time, Mr. Tebo drove his vehicle up next to the vehicle in the ditch to block the driver from returning to the road.

Mr. Tebo and Mr. Vongthongthip both were openly carrying Glock firearms and ammunition on their belts. Mr. Tebo exited his vehicle and attempted to take the keys from the suspected DUI driver whose vehicle was still running, but he could not get between the vehicles.

The vehicle being driven by the suspected DUI driver, 31-year-old Jesse G. Olsson (of Payson, AZ), apparently moved forward. At that time, Mr. Tebo shot several rounds into the engine block of the car trying to stop the car and the driver. The vehicle moved forward again at which time Mr. Vongthongthip fired several shots from his passenger seat at the suspected DUI driver. The driver of the DUI vehicle suffered a gunshot wound to his chest.

Around this time, an Arizona Department of Transportation vehicle and crew had observed the two vehicles in the ditch and had turned around to offer assistance. They observed the weapons and a person on the ground. They radioed their dispatch who contacted DPS. DPS Troopers responded, secured the scene and detained the two shooters.

Medical personnel from Pine-Strawberry Fire and Medics continued to treat the victim who was then airlifted by DPS Air Rescue to John C. Lincoln hospital. The victim Mr. Olsson is in stable condition but has not been able to give a statement to investigators. Detectives continue the investigation into the possible role of DUI in this incident.

Shane A Tebo and Brandon M. Vongthongthip were booked into the Coconino County Detention Facility in Flagstaff, AZ. Mr. Tebo was booked on Aggravated Assault, Disorderly Conduct with a Weapon, and Disorderly Conduct. Mr. Vongthongthip was booked on Second Degree (Attempted) Homicide, Aggravated Assault, Disorderly Conduct with a Weapon and Disorderly Conduct.

Rescuers Respond to Paria Canyon Twice in Two Days

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FLAGSTAFF — On Sunday, September 27, the Sheriff’s Office was made aware of a sick hiker in Paria Canyon in very close proximity to where the previously described response occurred. The DPS helicopter based in Kingman responded, located the ill hiker, and landed. The individual was flown out of the canyon and subsequently refused any medical treatment.

Yesterday at about 5:00 pm, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by a Kane County Utah Sheriff’s Deputy who advised of a personal locater beacon spot activation in Paria Canyon approximately 8 miles upstream from Lees Ferry. The family members of the hikers in possession of the device, indicated to investigators that the distress signal was a level 2 which indicates the individuals initiating the signal are sick or injured and need help as soon as possible.

Due to the late hour of the day, the impending darkness and the rugged terrain, an air search was conducted by the Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue Helicopter based in Flagstaff—instead of a ground search. The helicopter left the airport at 5:30 pm and arrived at the location where the device was activated an hour later and began an air search.

Crew members spotted the hikers approximately 1 mile downstream from the initiation point. The pilot was able to safely land the helicopter and crew members made contact with the group of hikers. According to one of the individuals, he was changing the batteries in the spot locater and accidentally activated the level 2 emergency signal. None of the party members required transport and the DPS helicopter returned to Flagstaff.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Arizona Department of Public Safety for the availability of air rescue helicopters and crews. This vital service is extensively utilized by the Sheriff’s Office throughout Coconino County on search and rescue assignments and a wide variety of other law enforcement related missions.

Labor Day Weekend 2015 Busy with Search and Rescue Events in Coconino County

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This Labor Day weekend proved extremely busy for Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Deputies and Search and Rescue. There were at least 11 search and rescue events logging over 35 hours of response time. The 35 hours represents only the time from start of the calls to resolution and does not include the collective time of multiple responders. Several events required call out of Search and Rescue (SAR) volunteers and personnel from assisting agencies such as US Forest Service (USFS) and the AZ Department of Public Safety (DPS). Many of the individuals were residents from outside of Coconino County who were visiting the area for outdoor recreation activities during the holiday weekend. Below is a summary of the events with additional information on assisting agencies.

Friday, September 4, 2015

At 12:48 pm we received a call that an 18 year old male subject exited a vehicle in Oak Creek Canyon and ran into the woods. The subject had made earlier statements in the day indicating that he may be suicidal. Deputies searched area business, trailheads and roads looking for the individual. DPS, Cottonwood Police Department and Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office also were given a description of the individual and asked for their assistance in attempting to locate him. After an extensive search, the subject was located after a citizen reported seeing him walking along State Route 89A.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

At 11:54 am we received a report of a 64 year old male and 6 year old female who were overdue from an ATV ride off of FS169 in the Forest Lakes area. Responders included CCSO, USFS, DPS Air Rescue, Forest Lakes Fire Department, and Coconino Sheriff’s SAR. The subjects were located by DPS Air Rescue at 4:18 pm, and ground units were guided to their location which was approximately 0.36 miles south of the camp. The subjects were then led by ground units to their camp. Neither subject was injured.

At 7:11 pm we received a report of a 59 year old male hiker on Humphreys Trail who was overdue. The overdue subject intentionally separated from his son at approximately 5:30 as he was hiking slowly. When he did not arrive at the vehicle as expected, the hiking partner called 911 to report him overdue. Thunderstorms were active in the area. Sheriff’s Office responders were assisted by volunteers from the SAR Unit and DPS Air Rescue. Deputies began the search by checking the trail heads and along the trail to the wilderness boundary. During a break in the weather DPS Air Rescue was able to fly over the area and located the subject at about 10:20 pm. He was off trail in the Snowbowl Ski Area approximately 0.9 miles east of the trail head. SAR personnel hiked to his location and escorted him out to the trail head. He did not request any medical treatment and was reunited with his son.

Sunday, September 6, 2015

At 1:26 pm we received a report of a male subject who was injured while riding an ATV in Pink Bowl which is located in the Cinder Hills OHV area. The injured subject was later pronounced deceased. Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the scene of the accident and SAR units responded to assist with recovering the body of the deceased.

At 3:18 pm we received a report of a 50 year old male who was stranded off the AB Young Trail in Oak Creek Canyon. Cell contact with the individual revealed he was not in need of medical attention but was unable to navigate the terrain. Due to the difficulty in locating the subject who was off trail the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) helicopter and the DPS Air Rescue helicopter from Kingman responded to assist. SAR units were prepared to hike from East Pocket end of the trail to attempt to locate and assist the subject while Sedona Fire units hiked from Bootlegger Day Use Area end of the trail. By around 7:00 pm the YCSO helicopter crew had located the subject and guided searchers to his location. Rescue efforts required use of a rope hand line to stabilize the individual as he was assisted down the canyon walls back to the trail. DPS Ranger also assisted by providing light along the trail as rescuers escorted the individual back to the trailhead. He was evaluated by medics and refused medical treatment. The subject was then reunited with his family.

At 7:00 pm we received a report of a male subject who had been gone from his family campsite for over three hours. The subject was on his dirt bike riding in the Cinder Hills OHV area. Deputies patrolled the area looking for the overdue person. The subject later made his way to Leupp Road where he used someone’s phone to contact his family and advise them of his location.

Monday, September 7, 2015

At 1:15 am a deputy patrolling the Mormon Lake area received a report of two women who were overdue in returning to their campsite after taking a ride from two unknown subjects on a UTV. The reporting party also called the information into dispatch. Deputies patrolled forest service roads and when following up with the reporting party learned that the two women had returned safely.

At 12:00 pm DPS Air Rescue in Flagstaff requested a CCSO-SAR helicopter rescue technician to assist Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office with a technical rescue of an injured climber on Granite Mountain in the Prescott area. The climber was rescued and transported to the hospital for treatment.

At 12:42 pm we received a report of a 10 year old and a young adult overdue from an ATV ride near their campsite off of FS124 in the Mormon Lake area. The other people at the campsite had located the ATV but the subjects were not with it. The Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from USFS (both law enforcement and fire personnel), SAR, and DPS to conduct a search by ground and air. At 3:21 pm DPS Air Rescue from Phoenix located the subjects in good condition approximately one mile east of their camp site. Ground personnel were guided to the location and transported both subjects back to camp. Neither subject required medical attention.

At 12:51 pm we received a report from a woman that her husband and two children, a 7 year old and a 3-1/2, were overdue from a hike on the Kachina Trail. Deputies and SAR units responded and located the subjects on the Kachina Trail. Rescuers assisted them to a vehicle and drove them to the trail head at Snowbowl where they were reunited with family members.

At 3:50 pm we received a report that a male and female were overdue from their campsite near the Lava Tubes. Deputies patrolled forest service roads in the area. Approximately an hour later the reporting party called to advise that both people had returned to the camp safely.

2015 Fall Session of the Northern Arizona Citizen’s Police Academy Open for Enrollment

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flagstaff-policeFLAGSTAFF — The Flagstaff Police Department, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Northern Arizona University Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety are pleased to announce that the 2015 Fall Session of the Northern Arizona Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA) will begin on Wednesday, September, 2015 at 6:00 pm.

CPA is a multi-agency program designed to promote awareness and understanding thus fostering a partnership of trust and shared responsibility between interested law abiding citizens and law enforcement. This 10 week 13 class program meets on Wednesday nights and couple of Saturday’s beginning September 9, 2015. Wednesday night classes are held at the Brent Cooper memorial auditorium located at 911 E. Sawmill Road, Flagstaff Arizona from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Participation in this program is free of charge and open to all law abiding community members.

Topics that are covered include:
1. Tour of the Coconino County Detention Facility
2. Overview of Felony Crimes and Criminal Investigations
3. Tour of the AZ Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory
4. Demonstration of the drug interdiction K9 unit from the Department of Public Safety.
5. Overview of Traffic Enforcement and Highway Safety Programs

For more information or to register for this program please call Sgt Margaret Bentzen of the Flagstaff Police Department at (928) 556-2300 or Community Programs Planner, Gerry Blair of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928)226-5089. Applications will be posted on both the County and City websites.

Registration or applications will be accepted at this time and up until August 28, 2015.

Deputies and Detectives Investigate Suspicious Death

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FLAGSTAFF — On Sunday, July 19, 2015 at about 10:08 am the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) advising that Flagstaff Police Department Officers (FPD) and DPS Officers were in pursuit of an adult female who was driving erratically initially on Highway 89 then North on Highway 180/Fort Valley Road with the pursuit entering several neighborhoods.

According to DPS they received a call from an individual who had been called by the driver of the pursued vehicle. According to the caller, the driver’s sister was deceased and her whereabouts were unknown.

Eventually the female driver stopped the vehicle in the Cheshire Neighborhood and was taken into custody by Flagstaff Police Officers.

Deputies responded to the driver’s residence located in Alpine Ranchos and found a 63 year-old female deceased outside the residence. At this point in the investigation, Detectives believe the victim died as a result of self-inflected injuries.

This investigation is be continued by the Sheriff’s Office and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Northern Arizona law enforcement track kidnapping suspect

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On Wednesday, June 18, 2015 at approximately 1:19 pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Lieutenant who manages the Page Patrol division received information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that an individual may have been taken against his will. The FBI provided subject, victim and vehicle descriptions as well as direction of travel of the vehicle. Additionally, the subject was seeking to acquire a firearm.

The CCSO Lieutenant initiated a regional attempt to locate message with information regarding the case and a vehicle description to Northern Arizona Law Enforcement Agencies to include the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the Page Police Department, the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety and the National Park Service.

An Arizona DPS Officer and a CCSO Sergeant located the suspect vehicle as it was north bound on Highway 89 and positioned behind a pilot vehicle at a construction zone near Cedar Ridge.

The officer and a deputy attempted to perform a high risk stop on the vehicle and administered verbal commands instructing the occupants to exit the vehicle. The occupants failed to follow instructions and the driver maneuvered the vehicle through the construction zone and continued north on Highway 89 at speeds reaching 100 miles per hour with officers in pursuit.

Page Police Officers, AZ DPS Officers and National Park Service Rangers attempted on four occasions to deploy Stop Sticks designed to gradually deflate vehicle tires; however the driver was able to avoid the stop sticks at all four locations.

At one point a Page Police Officer fired his duty weapon once at the suspect vehicle; no one was struck or injured by the bullet. CCSO Detectives and Page Police Department personnel are conducting independent investigations of this shooting.

The pursuit continued through the City of Page, AZ and north on Highway 89 into Utah. As the vehicle fled from pursuing officers the occupants threw items out of the windows to include miscellaneous papers. Utah law enforcement authorities deployed stop sticks at two more locations and during both incidents the devices effectively deflated all four tires of the suspect vehicle. In the area of milepost 54.9 on Highway 89 after traveling on tireless wheels, the vehicle veered to the side of the road.

Pursuing officers gave commands to the occupants to exit the vehicle. For a prolonged period of time the occupants refused to follow commands and continued to throw items out of the vehicle to include an empty handgun holster. They also waved an American Flag and a second unidentified flag out of the windows. At least one of the occupants placed gas masks over his face.

Eventually the driver who was believed to be the alleged kidnap victim exited the vehicle and shortly thereafter the passenger also exited the vehicle. Both individuals were taken into custody by Deputies assigned to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Unit. Utah Highway Patrol officials are continuing this investigation.

A portion of Highway 89 in Utah was shut down for a prolonged period of time as the result of the pursuit and subsequent standoff with the vehicle occupants.

National Public Safety Dispatcher Appreciation Week

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640-911-Flag-Police-PhotoFLAGSTAFF — For the past several years Public Safety Agencies nationwide have recognized the pivotal role played by the telecommunicators, dispatchers, communication operators, and radio and control personnel.

All the women and men of the communication center at the Flagstaff Police Department/Coconino County Sheriff’s Office who utilize telephones, radios, computers and technical skills to provide support to Law Enforcement, Fire Services, Emergency Medical Services and other governmental field personnel are being celebrated the week of April 12-18th. Our dispatcher’s work 24/7, 365 days a week to assure that officers have the information they need as first responders.

Each year, the second week of April is dedicated to the men and women who serve as Public Safety Telecommunicators. In 1991, Congress proclaimed it as a national recognized week of recognition.

The Flagstaff Police Department will celebrate this year’s Telecommunicators Week – April 12-18 in honor of their dedicated dispatchers who handle several thousand wireless 9-1-1 calls each month within Northern Arizona. The week will be filled with various activities including Mayor Nabors making a proclamation on Tuesday, 4-14-2015.

When you dial 9-1-1 on your cellular phone in Northern Arizona a dispatcher answers the call. Please know where you are and stay on the line so they can help get the assistance you need.

Facts about the Flagstaff 9-1-1 Communications Center:

  • Number of employees: currently 22 civilian dispatchers (Emergency Communication Specialists)
  • Supervisors: 6 with 1 serving as the 9-1-1 Coordinator
  • Call Taker: 2
  • Consoles: 10 (telephone/radio)
  • Entry level Emergency Communications Specialist pay per month: $3019.20
  • Entry level Call Taker pay per month: $$2257.00
  • Telephone calls received in March 2015:
  • 4,229 cellular/wireless 911 calls
  • 12,865 on non-emergency and other land lines

EMPLOYMENT
Are you searching for an exciting and rewarding career? 9-1-1 Dispatchers serve as a vital link in the public safety response chain. Some have provided life-saving CPR instruction and others have brought babies into the world. This is your chance to make a difference in your community. Be a part of our team; a valuable and rewarding career – apply today!

All NAU Students and Faculty Airlifted to Safety

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FLAGSTAFF – All of the NAU students and Faculty have been rescued from the area of Sowats Point near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon where they have been stranded since yesterday afternoon.

As of 4:00 pm today all of the individuals were flown to the parking lot of Jacobs Lake where they will be driven back to NAU Campus. Today’s eleven hour rescue effort began this morning at 5:00 am and ended at 4:00 pm this afternoon.

All twenty of the individuals are reported to be in good health and none of them required medical attention. Due to the vast distances involved the DPS Air Rescue Helicopter had to fly into Utah twice for the purpose of refueling. Students and faculty will be transported from Jacobs Lake to NAU campus via NAU vehicles.