Category Archives: Law Enforcement

Arizona State Trooper Resigns After It Is Discovered She Is An Illegal Alien

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131211-figueroa-vsml-8p.380Tucson’s NBC affiliate is reporting Carmen Figueroa, who once served as the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s spokeswoman, likely didn’t even know she was an illegal alien until this summer.

Bart Graves, DPS spokesperson tells the News 4 Tucson Investigators “We believe the affidavit and information she gave us at the time. And, she was under the impression that she herself was an American citizen.”

DPS officials wouldn’t say if Figueroa would be charged with a crime, but Graves told the Associated Press she would have been fired if she didn’t step down because state law requires all sworn officers to be US citizens.

Read more at Downtrend

Bicyclist hit by US Forest Service truck to dispute ticket

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A bicyclist who was ticketed after he was hit by a US Forest Service pickup Saturday in north Fort Collins said he plans to dispute the citation in court.

Roger Hoover, 51, said he was slowly riding his bike in front of the law-enforcement truck, which was blocking the crosswalk, when it pulled forward and hit him. He was ticketed with leaving a place of safety into the path of a moving vehicle.

“I thought that basically any time somebody runs over a pedestrian with a car, that it’s the car’s fault,” he said. “Apparently not.”

Read more at the Coloradoan

Pro-Gun Sheriff Found Not Guilty

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Jury nullifies false arrest of Nick Finch who supported Second Amendment

103113finch340Nick Finch, the Florida sheriff arrested in June after he defended the Second Amendment, has been declared “not guilty” of the charges brought against him by the State of Florida, according to Richard Mack.

The Liberty Co. sheriff was charged with felony “official misconduct” and “falsifying public records” after he released a suspect arrested on an unconstitutional gun charge and removed the arrest file.

After closing arguments by prosecutors and the defense, the jury took less than 90 minutes to reach its verdict.

Finch said today on the Alex Jones Show that the judge and the prosecutors were “not surprised” over his acquittal.

“They knew that they had no case,” he said.

Finch is expected to return to his duties as sheriff.

During the trial, the sheriff testified that he released Floyd Eugene Parrish, who was arrested for unlawfully carrying a firearm, because he believed the Second Amendment trumped all state gun laws.

Read more at Infowars
SEE ALSO: The New American

Boy Scout Troop Rescued from West Fork

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Flagstaff—Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies and Search and Rescue Volunteers assisted a group of eight Boy Scouts and three adult leaders out of the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon after one of their leaders sustained a leg injury.

On Saturday, October 19, 2013 at about 11:00 pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a call from an adult male approximately thirty years of age who identified himself as one of three adult leaders who had taken a troop of Boy Scouts ranging in age from eight to twelve years on a hike through the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon. According to the caller approximately three miles into their hike the group encountered an unexpected large body of water that ceased their forward progress.

According to the caller the group was not equipped or prepared to wade through the water that at its highest point was chest high on some of the boys. During this same time period the other male leader who was seventy-one years of age injured his leg to the point that he found hiking or walking to be painful. The reporting party hiked out to the West Fork Trail Head off of Woody Mountain Road which was the point where the group began their hike to call for help. He was able to obtain cellular telephone service and called the Sheriff’s Office for help and subsequently hiked back to the location where he left the rest of his group.

Sheriff’s Deputies and Search and Rescue Volunteers hiked to the group’s location. Some of the rescuers immediately escorted the boy scouts and a thirty year old female leader back to Woody Mountain Road. A group of Search and Rescue Volunteers remained with the injured leader and administered wilderness first aid preparing him to hike back to the starting point. The rescuers and the injured leader reached Woody Mountain Road on Sunday, October 20, 2013 at about 7:20 a.m. A crew from Guardian Medical Transport met the victim as he arrived and conducted an initial medical assessment. The injured person refused additional medical care and declined transportation to the medical center. The Boy Scouts and their leaders returned to the Phoenix area where they live.

Man Seriously Injured By Rock Slide

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Photos courtesy of Coconino County Sheriff

FLAGSTAFF—A twenty seven year-old man of the Phoenix area was crushed and trapped by a large boulder weighing more than thirty tons that slid down the mountain side. He was standing on Elden Lookout Road attempting to move another large boulder that had previously fallen into the road.

On Tuesday, September 10, 2013 at about 7:23 am the Coconino County Sheriff’ Office received the report of a man that was crushed by a rock slide on the Mount Elden Lookout Road located approximately 3.3 miles up from the bottom of the mountain. Dispatch immediately sent first responders from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, the Summit Fire Department and Guardian Medical Transport. The Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue Helicopter was placed on a standby status pending the arrival of emergency personnel who would assess the conditions and determine if a safe landing zone was available.

rock-slide-02The first to arrive were a Sheriff’s Office patrol Sergeant and Corporal. They observed two very large boulders blocking the road and learned that the four men the victim was traveling with removed him from underneath the boulder. The victim’s legs and pelvic area appeared to have been crushed and severely injured by the weight of the boulder. Due to the condition of the road the responding ambulance and fire truck were not able to drive to the victim’s location. A Sheriff’s Sergeant and a Guardian Battalion Chief who were both operating four wheel drive vehicles were able to drive additional rescue personnel to the scene. A Search and Rescue Coordinator was not able to identify a safe landing zone for air transportation. The victim was prepared for transport and placed in the rear of a Sheriff’s Commander’s assigned SUV and driven to the waiting ambulance, at which point the patient was transferred to the ambulance and transported to the Flagstaff Medical Center.

Investigators learned that the men were from the Phoenix area and were headed up the mountain with the intent of working on one of the radio towers.

The Coconino National Forest has closed Elden Lookout Road and may be temporarily closing other trails and areas affected by the recent rains. Current conditions can be found on their website at www.fs.usda.gov/coconino.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and County Emergency Management offer Community Emergency Response Team Training in Flagstaff

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The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Coconino County Emergency Management Division will present a three day Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training class in Flagstaff. More than fifty CERT classes have been delivered to urban, rural and reservation communities throughout Coconino County since its inception and we want to continue to share this training with our community members.

The class will be held in Flagstaff beginning Friday, September 27, 2013, from 6 pm to 9 pm, Saturday, September 28, 2013 from 8 am to 5 pm and Sunday September 29, 2013 from 8 am to 5 pm. The class will be held in the Brent F. Cooper Memorial Auditorium at the Law Enforcement Administrative Facility located at 911 E. Sawmill Road, Flagstaff, Arizona.

CERT Classes are offered free of charge by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and upon successful completion each participant will receive a Community Emergency Response Basic Certification and a back pack containing basic community emergency first responder gear to include a reflective vest, hard hat, eye protection, gloves, a four-in-one tool, and a CERT field response guide.

Successful participants who wish to serve their community will be invited to join a team in Flagstaff that meets monthly for additional in-service trainings and assists local first responders during emergency and non-emergency events. CERT Team members in Flagstaff meet monthly for additional training. CERT Volunteers have been utilized during responses to wild land fires, flooding, tornados, heavy snow storms and many other natural disasters. CERT Volunteers have served in a variety of capacities to include staffing road blocks, assisting with neighborhood evacuation notifications, staffing joint information call centers, assisting with Incident Command Centers, distributing neighborhood safety information and in many other areas.

Community members who would like additional information or who wish to register for the Basic CERT Training in Flagstaff are encouraged to call the Community Programs Office of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 226-5089 or go to the Community Programs & Education page of the Sheriff’s website http://www.coconino.az.gov/index.aspx?nid=354
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Lost Hiker in Bear Jaw Canyon Located

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Flagstaff––On Monday, August 12, 2013 at about 9:20 pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an overdue hiker in the Bear Jaw Canyon area of the San Francisco Peaks. The hiker, a 24 year old male, separated from his hiking companions on their return hike to their vehicle at the trailhead. He was last seen at approximately 7 pm. When the rest of the group arrived at the trailhead he was not there. The overdue hiker was dressed in shorts and a tank top shirt, and only had a water bottle with him.

A search was conducted by Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Deputies and Search and Rescue personnel who were aided by a helicopter from the Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue Unit in Phoenix.

The hiker was located by searchers at approximately 2:20 am on 08/13/13 on a ridge between Bear Jaw Canyon and Reese Canyon. He was in good condition and was reunited with his hiking companions at the trailhead.

At this time of year the weather can be warm and pleasant during the day but can rapidly cool off at night. Day hikers should be prepared with at least the ten essentials when they set out for even short day hikes. Hikers should always tell someone where they are going and when they plan to return.

10 Essentials:

1. Water
2. Food
3. Extra Clothing for the conditions
4. Navigation Equipment (map, compass, GPS)
5. Headlamp/Flashlight
6. First Aid Kit
7. Shelter Material (emergency blanket/heavy duty leaf bag)
8. Fire Starting Kit (be aware of any fire restrictions)
9. Pocket Knife/Multi-Tool
10. Whistle/Signal Mirror

Project Appleseed coming to Flagstaff shooting range

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Project Appleseed will be holding a clinic at the Northern Arizona Shooting Range in Flagstaff on August 24th and 25th at 8:30 am each day. The clinic will focus on rifle marksmanship skill.

The skill will include the six steps to firing a shot, natural point of aim, sling use and other skills in firing rifles. They also discuss the history of the beginning of the American War for Independence and the heritage of the nation.

The clinic costs $80 per man, $40 for each woman and under $20 for people under 18. Active duty military, law enforcement officers and elected offficials are free. The $7 range fee is not included and must be paid by all on entry. Your own rifles and ammunition are required. You can find more information at their web site.

Project Appleseed, according to their web site,

…is an activity of The Revolutionary War Veterans Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to teaching every American our shared heritage and history as well as traditional rifle marksmanship skills. Our volunteer instructors travel across the country teaching those who attend about the difficult choices, the heroic actions, and the sacrifices that the Founders made on behalf of modern Americans, all of whom are their posterity.

“Our rifle marksmanship program complements our history and heritage. We teach the traditional American marksmanship skills,” their web site states.

The Northern Arizona Shooting Range is located on USFS Road 128A 3.8 miles past the junction of USFS Roads 82 and 128. It is east of Flagstaff and south of the Winona exit #211 on I-40. (Map and directions)

Lightning Strikes Three Killing Two

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Fredonia AZ—Yesterday at about 3:00 pm a bolt of lightning struck in the area of the LeFevre  Scenic Overlook at MP 590.4 on Highway 89A about eight miles north of Jacobs Lake. Two visitors from a foreign country were pronounced dead at the scene and a non-related minor received non-life-threatening injuries. This highlights the dangers that thunderstorms represent.

A group of people were standing in the area of the overlook when a man and wife from out of the country were struck and later pronounced deceased at the scene.  A third victim who is a male minor also was struck by the lightning and knocked to the ground.  He was treated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries.  He was transported to an area hospital by Kane County Utah Medical Transport.  The child was not associated with the two deceased victims and was traveling with several adult guardians.

After the lighting strike several other people at the overlook called the Kane County 911 Dispatch Center on their cell phones and reported the incident.  Dispatchers sent the Kane County Ambulance and notified the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.  The two deceased victims were transported to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office located in Flagstaff.

Names of the two deceased victims are being withheld pending next of kin notification.  This investigation is being continued by Sheriff’s Detectives and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Department recommends the following when thunderstorms are present. Chance of thundershowers exist through Saturday in the 40% to 50% range.

Lightning Safety Tips

Plan in advance your evacuation and safety measures. When you first see lightning or hear thunder, activate your emergency plan. Now is the time to go to a building or a vehicle. Lightning often precedes rain, so don’t wait for the rain to begin before suspending activities.

IF OUTDOORS…Avoid water. Avoid the high ground. Avoid open spaces. Avoid all metal objects including electric wires, fences, machinery, motors, power tools, etc. Unsafe places include underneath canopies, small picnic or rain shelters, or near trees. Where possible, find shelter in a substantial building or in a fully enclosed metal vehicle such as a car, truck or a van with the windows completely shut. If lightning is striking nearby when you are outside, you should:

Crouch down. Put feet together. Place hands over ears to minimize hearing damage from thunder.

Avoid proximity (minimum of 15 ft.) to other people.

IF INDOORS… Avoid water. Stay away from doors and windows. Do not use the telephone. Take off headsets. Turn off, unplug, and stay away from appliances, computers, power tools, & TV sets. Lightning may strike exterior electric and phone lines, inducing shocks to inside equipment.

SUSPEND ACTIVITIES for 30 minutes after the last observed lightning or thunder.

INJURED PERSONS do not carry an electrical charge and can be handled safely. Apply First Aid procedures to a lightning victim if you are qualified to do so. Call 911 or send for help immediately.

KNOW YOUR EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS.

Man Arrested after Firing Multiple Shotgun Rounds in a Residence he Burglarized

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Damage caused by suspect - Photo courtesy of Coconino County Sheriff's Department

Damage caused by suspect – Photo courtesy of Coconino County Sheriff’s Department

Blue Ridge, AZ—Thirty one year-old Justin Kincaid of Kincaid, JustinMaricopa, Arizona was arrested on Friday, July 19, 2013 at about midnight after breaking into an unoccupied home located in the Blue Ridge area. Kincaid is believed to have illegally occupied the residential structure for several days before he caused significant damage to the contents and structure of the home. He allegedly armed himself with a shotgun he found inside the residence and fired it many times breaking some of the windows. It is believed he broke out the rest of the windows by other means. When deputies and other assisting law enforcement officers arrived Kincaid continued to discharge the shotgun inside the structure.

On Friday at about 5:15 pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received six 911 calls from neighbors who reported hearing multiple gunshots in close proximity to their homes. The callers could not see the suspect, but described the shots as being fired continuously. Neighbors congregated at one of the homes in the immediate area. Deputies arrived, began to search the area on foot and were able to hear multiple gunshots being fired. Deputies identified the home where the gunshots were originating from and established a perimeter and watched the structure from a position of safety. The suspect was playing loud music and could be seen pacing back and forth inside the house.

A Sheriff’s Lieutenant who was at the scene contacted the Flagstaff Police Department and requested that the FPD/CCSO SWAT team respond. Once the SWAT team was on scene they approached the residence in an armored vehicle and used an external speaker system to communicate with the suspect and convinced him to walk out of the residence unarmed. SWAT team members arrested Justin Kincaid without further incident.

After entering and searching the home deputies learned that vandalism to the interior of the structure was extensive and estimated cost of repairs and replacement to be as much as $100,000. It appeared that Kincaid targeted most everything breakable, to include shooting out or otherwise shattering every window (about 35, some very large), all mirrors, multiple high-end kitchen appliances and a large crystal and china collection. During their search deputies found 54 expended shotgun shells.

During an interview with Kincaid, detectives learned that he left the residence of a relative on July 14 and drove to Blue Ridge with the intentions of camping in the forest. He drove around Starlight Pines, claiming to be looking for forest access. According to the suspect he found a residence with an open garage door instead. Kincaid said he stayed in the garage until it was obvious that no one would be returning in the near future. At some point while the suspect was in the residence he became frustrated with his circumstances and did the previously described damage. Justin Kincaid is being held in the Coconino County Sheriff’s Detention Facility on charges of Second Degree Burglary, Felony Criminal Damage and Possession of a Firearm while committing a felony.