FLAGSTAFF – On September 9, 2018 at approximately 1:20 PM the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit responded with the Flagstaff Fire Department and Guardian Medical Transport to a climbing accident at the climbing area known as The Pit which is accessed from the Canyon Vista Campground. Information gathered was that a 12-year-old male who was climbing with family members had fallen approximately 20 feet and was injured and in need of rescue.

Responders from Guardian Medical Transport, Flagstaff Fire Department, and Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue hiked into the climber’s location and initiated treatment and transport out of the canyon in a basket litter to a waiting ambulance at the campground. The climber sustained a head injury and a wrist injury and was transported by ambulance to Flagstaff Medical Center for treatment. The climber and his family were from the greater Phoenix area.

Investigation into the accident revealed that the climber was lead climbing a route known as The Microwave and fell while he was attempting to clip his rope to the third bolt fixed on the route. When he fell, the carabiners connected to the second bolt and first bolt broke causing the climber to land at the base of the climb after falling approximately 20 feet. Upon inspection it was determined that the carabiners that broke were not rated for climbing.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit would like to remind climbers to routinely inspect their equipment and ensure that the equipment they are using is rated for the activity that they are engaging in. Failure to use properly rated equipment could lead to a serious accident.

FLAGSTAFF – On August 14 and 15, 2018 the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office will be hosting a Critical Incident Response Training that involves personnel from several Northern Arizona law enforcement agencies as well as personnel from local area fire departments.

We want our residents, business owners, and visitors to be aware that this training will result in increased police and fire activity in the area. The training will occur between 8 am and 5 pm on August 14-15 at the former San Francisco de Asis School, located at 320 N. Humphreys St. Flagstaff AZ, 86001.

The training will be a reality-based exercise to provide first responders additional tools to use when faced with an integrated response to critical incidents.

The Sheriff’s Office along with the other agencies would like to thank St. Francis De Asis Parish for providing the venue for this training.

FLAGSTAFF –- An armed suspect in a domestic violence incident was arrested after a five and half hour standoff with police.

On Tuesday morning June 26, 2018, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a domestic violence incident that allegedly occurred inside a home in the 2600 block of Kona Trail in the Kachina Village subdivision south of Flagstaff. The reporting party was the Coconino County Adult Probation Department. Probation had received a call from the female victim and her father, alleging the female’s boyfriend had become aggressive with the father, and later physically assaulted the female when she found a bag of suspected methamphetamines in the suspects personal possessions. The female also reported the suspect had a handgun on his person during the physical assault, but did not threaten or use the weapon. The suspect had allegedly told the female that he would not open the door for police or surrender.

The suspect is identified as 26-year-old Spencer William Bird. Bird is currently on probation for attempted sexual assault. Bird does not live in the home, but had asked to stay at the home and was asking for help stating he had a drug problem. He had been a guest in the home for two days.

The female and her father left the home and reported to the incident to the Adult Probation. The suspect was on probation out of Maricopa County and under courtesy supervision by Coconino County Adult Probation.

Sheriff’s deputies and probation officers worked together to get Bird to come out of the home under the pretense that Probation needed to visit with him. The suspect failed to show up to the meeting. Maricopa County Probation issued an arrest warrant based on information from this incident. Probation officers then attempted to locate the suspect at the home. The suspect would not answer the door or respond to officers. The Probation Officer and Sheriff Deputies tried for several hours to contact Bird, but he refused to answer his phone.

Surrounding neighbors were evacuated and two streets were closed during the incident. The Flagstaff Police Departments Joint Tactical Operations Team responded at the request of the Sheriff’s Office. Negotiators spent several hours attempting to contact Bird, but he refused to communicate with negotiators and the female victim.

A chemical irritant was introduced into the bathroom of the home, and Bird exited within minutes and surrendered to officers. Bird was treated on scene for the irritant, then transported to Flagstaff Medical Center for evaluation. Bird was later released from medical care. He was booked into the Coconino County Jail on the felony warrant issued out of Maricopa County with possible additional charges pending the investigation of this incident.

This was a joint operation involving several agencies. The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Flagstaff Police Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Highlands Fire Department, Flagstaff Fire Department, Coconino County Adult Probation, and Guardian Ambulance. We also thank the residents in the area for their cooperation during the incident and evacuation.