Category Archives: Law Enforcement

Sheriff’s Detectives Responded to Death at Antelope Point Marina

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PAGE — Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives are investigating the death of 54 year-old Michael Murphy of Page, Arizona who collapsed on the houseboat dock at Antelope Point on Lake Powell.

On February 8th at approximately 1:50 pm personnel of the National Park Service at Glen Canyon received a report from Antelope Point of an unresponsive person lying on the marina dock. National Park Rangers, Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies, Page Fire Department, and Guardian Air Helicopter responded.

According to a coworker, he and the victim were laying carpet on a houseboat when the victim stepped off of the boat and onto the dock and collapsed. An employee of Antelope Point Marina who is an Emergency Medical Technician immediately responded and administered a defibrillator and began CPR. Upon arrival, medical personnel from the National Park Service and Page Fire Department continued administering lifesaving procedures. Shortly after 2:30 pm Murphy was declared deceased on scene.

The cause of death is currently under investigation by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office. At this point in the investigation Detectives do not believe that foul play was involved with this death.

Coconino County Detention Facility Receives Donation of a Baptistery

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FLAGSTAFF — The American Rehabilitation Ministry which is a non-profit organization based in Missouri has donated a new full immersion portable heated baptistery valued at $1,700 to the Coconino County Detention Facility. Detention staff will schedule the use of the baptistery on a regular and frequent basis to inmates who request it. Inmates who request a baptism will meet with the full time Jail Chaplin who will explain the process to them and its significance. Once the inmate has a full understanding of the process he or she will be scheduled for baptism.

In the past the Jail Chaplin and other religious volunteers have received requests from inmates to be baptized, but we did not have that capability. The Jail Chaplin contacted other detention facilities to learn what policies they had in place regarding baptisms. He learned that many agencies offer baptisms on a regular basis. He researched the availability of full immersion baptisteries. The Rescued Not Arrested non-profit group that provides bibles to prisons and jails throughout the country including our detention facility assisted our Jail Chaplin in identifying The American Rehabilitation Ministry as a resource and in contacting them. It should be noted that the Rescued Not Arrested organization also provides religious volunteers to minister to inmates in our facility on a weekly basis.

The American Rehabilitation Ministry provided the baptistery to our detention facility free of charge. The Sheriff’s Office paid for the shipping and several upgrades such as the heater.

At the Coconino County Detention facility we strive to provide our inmate population with opportunities to improve their quality of life while they are with us and once they have been released. The baptistery is yet another way we can provide religious services to the inmates in our care.

Flagstaff police vehicle involved in accident during funeral procession

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10-14 962FLAGSTAFF — On January 29, 2016 at approximately 11:45, a Flagstaff Police Department patrol vehicle was involved in a collision while assisting in a funeral procession traveling west on Butler from Ponderosa Parkway.

The procession was approximately 300 vehicles long and was traveling at a slow pace in the south (inside) lane of west bound Butler Avenue. One of the vehicles in the procession stopped to allow another vehicle who was traveling in the opposite direction, to either turn left or complete a U- turn. This vehicle collided with the police vehicle which was west bound in the outside lane assisting with the procession.

During the collision the air bags were deployed, and both occupants of the SUV and the police vehicle were transported for non- life threatening injuries. The collision investigation is being conducted by the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

Neighborhood Watch meetings in Timberline/Fernwood and Downey Park next week

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TIMBERLINE/FERNWOOD — Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll and Coconino County Supervisor District 2 Liz Archuleta would like to invite residents of the Timberline and Fernwood communities to the monthly Neighborhood Watch meeting on Tuesday, February 2, 2016. The meeting will be held from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM at Summit Fire Station 33, located at 6050 Firehouse Lane, off of Highway 89N. Chief Deputy, Jim Driscoll and his staff will be at the meeting to share information and encourage continued neighborhood participation.

Chief Deputy Driscoll will begin the meeting by discussing some of the accomplishments made by the Sheriff’s Office during 2015 and our goals for 2016. Supervisor Liz Archuleta will give a recap of county government activities.

Representatives of the Summit Fire District will speak about recent activities and discuss changes that have been made to the administrative structure of the department.

Marc Della Rocca the Community Relations Manager for Public Works will give an update on projects and goals for 2016. He will also give a recap of snowplowing operations. Tim Dalegowski who is the Coconino County Public Works Transportation Planner will speak about the change of the posted speed limit on Copeland Lane.

Neighborhood Watch is similar to the Block Watch program commonly conducted in urban areas and goes back to the concept of “neighbors looking out for neighbors” that many people remember from 30 years ago. It is one of the most effective ways to prevent and deter criminal activity, attend to home and personal security, address the safety of our children and the elderly, and to alleviate fear and isolation. Residents learn how to observe and report suspicious activity and reduce the risk of becoming a victim of crime. For more information about the Neighborhood Watch program and the meeting schedule, please call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 226-5089.

DOWNEY PARK — Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll and District 4 Supervisor Mandy Metzger would like to invite residents of the Doney Park community to attend the monthly Neighborhood Watch meeting on Thursday, February 4, 2016. The meeting will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Summit Fire District Station 32 and Administrative Offices located at 8905 Koch Field Road Flagstaff, AZ. This will be our first Doney Park Neighborhood Watch for 2016 so we hope to begin the new-year with increased attendance and participation form community members.

Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll and Supervisor Mandy Metzger will be available to answer questions and provide support to this partnership between law abiding citizens, law enforcement and county government. Chief Deputy Driscoll will begin the meeting by discussing some of the accomplishments made by the Sheriff’s Office during 2015 and our goals for 2016. Supervisor Mandy Metzger will give a recap of governmental activities in District 4 and in other areas of the county.

Kate Morley who is the Mobility Planner for the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Transportation Authority will speak about the Van Pools program that provides commuter vanpools to and from Flagstaff in vehicles supplied by the Mountain Line Public Transit System. It is believed that this Rideshare Program will save participants money, reduce emissions and cut traffic congestion. The Regional Manager of UniSource will solicit input from neighborhood watch participants to determine if residents in the area of Yancey Lane and Starlight or Koch Field and Hwy 89 might be interested in a natural gas line.

For more information about the Neighborhood Watch program and the meeting schedule, please call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 226-5089.

Missing Person Lawrence Byrne

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lawrence-byrneLawrence Byrne was reported missing by his brother Shawn Byrne to both Phoenix PD and Scottsdale PD. Scottsdale PD has entered him into the Arizona criminal justice database as a missing person. Family is concerned that Lawrence may be suicidal. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office was contacted because there is the possibility that Lawrence may be in Northern Arizona near Williams. He is believed to be driving a white Volkswagen Toureg SUV with Arizona plates of BRC2028. Coconino County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Search and Rescue have conducted some ground and air searches with negative contact with Lawrence or his vehicle. If anyone has information about the whereabouts of Lawrence Byrne or his vehicle, they are urged to contact the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at 928-774-4523 or 1-800-338-7888.

Body of Wing-Suit Jumper Mathew Kenney Recovered

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PAGE — On Sunday, January 17, 2016 a private group of professional technical climbers engaged by family members rappelled down to the location where the body of 29 year old Mathew Kenney of Santa Cruz, CA came to rest. Those rescuers lowered the body to a slope where Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue helicopter and crew based out of Kingman, AZ performed a one skid landing. The DPS helicopter off-loaded a Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue technician and was able to conduct a long line extraction of the body to Lees Ferry where it was released to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Technical Rescue Team members and National Park Service helicopter from Grand Canyon had previously attempted a body recovery by helicopter on Thursday, January 14, 2016. Due to safety issues and incoming weather, the recovery was suspended and additional plans were discussed for a technical recovery.

Mathew Kenney died on January 12, 2016 when he was wing-suiting in the Paria Canyon – Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area within the BLM Arizona Strip District approximately 15 miles north of Lees Ferry. His body was located in the steep canyon walls.

Sheriff’s Office Working with Several Agencies to Recover Body of Man Who Died While Wingsuit Flying

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800-Wingsuit DeathPAGE — On Tuesday, January 12, 2016 the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of a death in Paria Canyon involving a man who was wingsuiting with friends.

The man has been identified as 29 year old Mathew Kenney out of Santa Cruz, CA. His body was located in the steep canyon walls approximately 15 miles north of Lee’s Ferry in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area within the BLM Arizona Strip District. A Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Short Haul Team and an Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue helicopter responded yesterday to recover the body.

Due to the steep terrain and icy conditions on top of the canyon walls, the Sheriff’s Office was not able to safely anchor to access the body yesterday. The Sheriff’s Office continues to work with other agencies including Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue, National Park Service Search and Rescue, and Bureau of Land Management to develop a plan that will allow rescuers to safely access and recover the body.

Tips on preventing auto burglary at home and while shopping

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coco-sheriff-300pxFlagstaff — The Coconino County Sheriff’s office would like to provided tips on preventing auto-burglary. Auto-burglary prevention, like all crime prevention, involves limiting the criminal’s ability and/or opportunity to commit the crime. With very little time and effort, you can make a huge difference in your vulnerability to auto-burglary.

Lock ALL your vehicle’s doors even if you plan to be gone for only a brief time. Every year, we have items stolen from unlocked vehicles where the owner was only going to be gone “just for a second.” It only takes seconds to steal your stuff! It’s not uncommon for thieves to walk down a row of parked vehicles and check vehicle doors to see if they are unlocked. Don’t leave any window open or even cracked open, including vent/wing windows and sunroofs.

Don’t leave valuables in your car. That sounds like “common sense,” but drivers/passengers do leave items of value in plain view every day. If you leave valuable items visible in your car, your car is automatically a target.

Try to park in busy, well-lighted areas. Try to park in well-traveled areas. Large anonymous lots are hit by thieves much more often than parking immediately adjacent to residential housing or other occupied buildings.

Set any alarm or anti-theft device. If you have one, use it! Many people believe that car-alarms no longer make a difference, but they can be an effective deterrent to an auto-burglar, who most often chooses the easiest target.

Mark your valuables! As a last line of defense (not really to prevent theft as much as to aid in recovery), mark your valuables. Recording serial numbers is dandy, but nowadays many serial numbers are on removable “labels” rather than “engraved” into valuable items. Sheriff Pribil suggests inscribing/engraving a “personal identifier” on all valuables.

Take Removable Equipment with You. If you have an after-market stereo/CD-player with a removable face plate, remove it. Without the face plate, the unit is less attractive/useful to many thieves, and harder to “fence.” If the unit can be pulled, pull it! Take it with you. Just covering a valuable radio (or ANY valuables in your car) with something (like a blanket or towel) to hide it will probably only draw thieves’ attention.

What Items are Most Commonly Stolen from Vehicles?
• Backpacks, gym bags, briefcases, day-planners
• Cash/coins, checkbooks and credit/debit cards
• Wallets/purses (even when hidden under a seat or in an unlocked glove compartment)
• Laptop computers, iPods and MP3 players (and docking stations)
• Cell phones (and chargers)
• Portable GPS navigation systems
• Stereo/CD players (and faceplates), amps, speakers (even when bolted down!)
• Jewelry, keys, mail (identity theft), tools
• Anything of obvious value

Report Suspicious Activity. If you see suspicious activity, report it to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 774-4523 or call 911

What should you do if something is stolen out of your car? As soon as you notice something’s stolen (or that your car has been broken into) do not touch/adjust anything in, on, or around the car. As soon as possible, call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office to report the incident.

Two Flagstaff Men Arrested for Vehicle Burglaries in Doney Park

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hankins-peavy-1Flagstaff, AZ — During the early morning hours of Sunday, January 3, 2016 Dispatchers of the Flagstaff Regional 911 Center received multiple calls from concerned citizens regarding suspicious activity and reckless driving by a vehicle and its occupants. One caller reported seeing the vehicle enter the driveway of his home located in Doney Park and then slowly back out. The reporting citizen attempted to follow the vehicle; however he lost sight of it. The investigating Deputy put out an attempt to locate message with the vehicle description.

Later that day Flagstaff Police Officers located the vehicle which was occupied by two adult males. The officers arrested the men on unrelated charges.

During the investigation, a wallet was located in the vehicle with identification that did not belong to either occupant. The Deputy contacted the person listed on the identification who lived in the Doney Park area. According to this person his wallet was last known to be inside his vehicle. The Deputy and the victim checked his vehicles that were in front of his home and discovered that two of them had been burglarized.

Twenty-one year-old Samuel David Hankins and twenty year-old Scott Julian Peavy both of Flagstaff were charged with two counts each of burglary from a vehicle. Coconino County Sheriff’s Detectives are continuing this investigation in an effort to determine if the two suspects are involved in other burglaries that have occurred in the area.

Emergency Response Training for teens this Saturday

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Sheriff-Patch005WILLIAMS/PARKS/TUSAYAN/VALLE — Sergeant James Steng of the Coconino County Sheriff’s office will be holding a training course starting this Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CERT, Community Emergency Response Team grew out of the natural desire to help others during and after a natural disaster. The first people on most scenes after a disaster are survivors who want to help.

The primary objective of Teen CERT is to teach young citizens how to keep themselves, their family members and their fellow students safe before and during a disaster and how to assist them during the aftermath of a disaster. Teens will learn how to best prepare for a disaster and how to assess the scene after a disaster. They will also learn how to conduct a search and rescue operation and how to suppress small fires.

The advantage of this type of training is that it is something a teen can carry throughout their lifetime. FEMA even sponsors online training courses one can take to further their education.

The training sessions will start this Saturday, January 9, 2016 8 am to 5 pm. The next session will follow the next Saturday, January 16, 2016 8 am to 5 pm and finish with a last session on Saturday January 23, 2016 8 am to 12 noon.

Interested teens who would like more information or who wish to register for this training are asked to call Sergeant James Steng at (928) 679-8735 or (928) 607-6470.