Category Archives: Arizona

Road resurfacing and other maintenance work to begin this week on Forest Road 108 near Coleman Lake

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WILLIAMS — A contractor working for the Kaibab National Forest will begin a road maintenance project this week on Forest Road 108 in the vicinity of Coleman Lake on the Williams Ranger District in order to ensure the popular route continues to meet Forest Service road standards.

This work will include roadway reconditioning and resurfacing on an approximately 6.4-mile stretch of FR 108, beginning at its junction with County Road 73 and heading west past Coleman Lake to the project end. Additional work will include the installation of culverts along the route. The road work will improve safety conditions and enhance visitor experience when traveling to popular recreation areas on the forest.

The sources of material for this road maintenance work will be both Ruin Pit, which is located off FR 110 near JD Dam Lake, and Dead Horse Pit, which is located off FR 139. As most of the material is expected to come from Ruin Pit, heavy truck traffic may be present along the haul route, which includes forest roads 110, 109 and 12. Truck traffic may also be noticeable along FR 139 when Dead Horse Pit is used to access material. Motorists should always use caution when driving near heavy trucks and equipment.

Forest Service road engineers anticipate that the resurfacing project, which began today, will be complete by mid-September, barring any weather delays. While the impacted forest roads will not be closed during the project, motorists can expect delays and should exercise caution while traveling through the area due to varying road conditions and the presence of heavy equipment. Travelers on FR 108 could expect delays of about 30 minutes and are urged to drive slowly through the entire construction zone.

FR 108 is used frequently by Kaibab National Forest visitors to access camping, hunting and other recreational opportunities. Forest visitors seeking a spot for dispersed camping are encouraged to consider other routes on the Williams Ranger District during the duration of the road maintenance work given the likelihood of dust and noise near the project area.

Forest Service engineers regularly evaluate and monitor road conditions across the forest to determine priorities for work. FR 108 has been in need of reconditioning and resurfacing for some time, and forest managers expect visitors to have an improved experience once the current project is complete.

To contact the Williams Ranger District office, call (928) 635-5600.

Update on Death and Attempted Stabbing Near Gray Mountain

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GRAY MOUNTAIN – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the incident that occurred on Highway 89N near Gray Mountain on 08/05/19. Detectives have identified the male subject that died on scene as 35-year-old Richard Osburn from Oklahoma. A preliminary autopsy finding by the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office suggest that Osburn died from blunt force trauma to the head most likely sustained from the him falling from the vehicle onto Highway 89N. There were no other significant injures found on Osburn that would be responsible for or contribute to his death.

investigation showed that Osburn and his wife were traveling southbound on Highway 89N. Osburn was driving their vehicle when the vehicle traveled southbound in the northbound lane near the Sinagua Trading Post. Osburn eventually attempted to correct his position and traveled across the median of Highway 89N causing damage to the vehicle.

Osburn stopped their vehicle and was approached by other civilian motorists who were attempting to assist him. Osburn exited his vehicle and began acting aggressive towards them. During this time the couple from Conway, Arkansas arrived to assist. Osburn approached them continuing with his aggressive behavior. The Arkansas couple got back into their vehicle, with the female victim driving, and started to leave the scene.

They observed Osburn running at their vehicle as they pulled out on the highway. Osburn jumped onto the roof of the vehicle. The female victim accelerated onto Highway 89N southbound.

Osburn, while on top of the vehicle, produced a fixed blade knife and smashed the glass sunroof out of the victim’s vehicle. Osburn then pulled his upper torso into the passenger compartment of the victim’s vehicle and began grabbing at the female driver. During this time, Osburn attempted to stab the female driver with his knife. All the while the male victim was attempting to defend himself and the female victim from the front passenger seat. Eventually, the male victim was able to push Osburn back out of the sunroof.

The female victim initiated an evasive maneuver with the vehicle which caused Osburn to fall from the roof of the vehicle at speeds estimated between 60-70 miles an hour. At this point, it appears as though Osburn died as a result of the injury sustained when he impacted the roadway.

Obsurn’s wife was interviewed at the Sheriff’s Office in Flagstaff and has been cooperative with the investigation. She was released to a friend and Victim Witness services.

Work continues on Castle fire amidst rainshowers

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FREDONIA— The Castle Fire’s acreage held at 16,538 today due to more consistent showers over the fire area. Precipitation has a direct effect of fire behavior by moderating or temporarily halting the spead of the fire. This does not mean the end of the fire, however. Warmer, drier days, such as those predicted in the long-term forecast can provide just enough heat to keep the fire moving through the fuels that are still available in the unburned areas. The weather forecast for today is partly cloudy with a light chance of thunderstorms in the morning followed by an increasing chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Over the past 27 days, since the fire started on July 12th, firefighters have continually worked on securing the 28-mile perimeter of the planning area. They had to assess and prioritize their day’s work based on the expected fire activity and potential rate of spread.

Staying ahead of the fire has been critical to the success of keeping it within the planning area. During the recent intermittent rainshowers, firefighters continue to stay busy working on suppression repair work in and around the planning area. Mastication work is also ongoing along Forest Road 226, which defines the westernmost boundary of the planning area. Constant monitoring and patrolling of the fireline is essential in ensuring that it is secure and that the fire has no opportunity to breach the line.

The origin of the fire is located about 11 miles south of Jacob Lake, 3 miles west of Highway 67, and just east of Forest Road 761 near Oquer Canyon.

The Castle Fire poses no danger to structures or other local infrastructure.

AZGFD to host webcast on hunt management approaches August 15

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PHOENIX — In an ongoing effort to better serve its constituents, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) will host a webcast to provide an update on existing hunt management approaches, recent projects and to gather public input.

Those who access the webinar from 6-7:30 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 15, will be able to submit questions, comments or concerns about existing hunt management approaches or hunt guidelines to Amber Munig, big game management supervisor, who will open the online discussion with a short presentation. Other department personnel also will be available during the webcast to address input as it relates to specific game management units (GMUs) or regions.

The webcast can be viewed at www.azgfd.gov/webcast, or in person at any department office statewide. Those locations include:

AZGFD headquarters: 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix
AZGFD (Region I): 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd., Pinetop
AZGFD (Region II): 3500 S. Lake Mary Road, Flagstaff
AZGFD (Region III): 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road, Kingman
AZGFD (Region IV): 9140 E. 28th St., Yuma
AZGFD (Region V): 555 N. Greasewood Road, Tucson
AZGFD (Region VI): 7200 E. University Drive, Mesa

The public can email questions during the webcast to AZHuntGuidelines@azgfd.gov. All questions pertaining to hunt management approaches or hunt guidelines will be addressed at the end of the presentation.

The existing hunt management approaches or hunt guidelines provide the biological and social parameters used by wildlife biologists to develop annual hunt recommendations (season structures, season lengths, season dates, permits allocated, etc.). These recommendations result in the annual hunts in which licensed hunters may participate.

While hunting opportunity is important, wildlife is held in the public trust; therefore, using science-based principles to shape the guidelines process remains paramount to ensure healthy, sustainable and diverse wildlife populations in perpetuity.

AZGFD continues to seek feedback on how to best meet the demands of the hunting public, while finding ways to develop new opportunities that help pass along our hunting heritage to future generations.

For those who miss the webcast, it will be recorded and available to be viewed at https://www.azgfd.com/Hunting/Guidelines/. Additional comments can be emailed to AZHuntGuidelines@azgfd.gov.

Arlington appointed County Legal Defender

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FLAGSTAFF — County Manager James Jayne has named Erika Arlington as the new County Legal Defender. The Board of Supervisors confirmed the appointment during the August 6 board meeting.

Arlington has been serving as the Interim Legal Defender since January. The Legal Defender’s Office fulfills the State’s constitutional obligation to provide legal services to persons who are indigent and face a loss of their liberty or family.

“After years of dedicated service to the County and community, we are extremely excited that Erika will continue her career with us as the Legal Defender,” said County Manager James Jayne. “During her tenure in the Legal Defender’s Office, especially as the Interim Legal Defender the past eight months, Erika has demonstrated the leadership and professionalism to head this department. She has the full support of the County Leadership Team and we look forward to partnering with her in this new role.”

Arlington has been with the County Legal Defenders Office since August of 2018. Prior to her time with the Legal Defender’s Office, she worked in the County Attorney’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office, as Associate Faculty at NAU and in private practice. She is also a past President of the Coconino County Bar Association.

“I’m honored to represent the Legal Defender’s Office and the Citizens of Coconino County,” said Arlington. “I’m passionate about criminal defense and dependency representation and have found a tremendous amount of joy representing those clients. I look forward to working in collaboration with our awesome team to continue to provide excellent service to our community.”

Arlington earned her Bachelor of Arts at Sacramento State University, and her Juris Doctorate from the University of California Davis, King Hall School of Law.

ADOT detectives nab man who purchased sports car with stolen identity

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PHOENIX – A man who allegedly used a stolen identity to purchase a sports car and stick the victim with the bill was arrested on a felony warrant after detectives with the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General brought the case before a grand jury.

In March of last year, Randall Cepi, 31, concocted a scheme to use the personal information of a customer at the dealership where he was employed in Winslow to purchase a 2007 Chevrolet Corvette from a dealership in Flagstaff.

The victim came into the Nissan dealership where Cepi worked and bought a new half-ton pickup. About a week later, Cepi used her personal information to obtain a loan to buy the Corvette. He arranged to have the victim’s signature forged on the dealership and loan documents.

A few weeks later, the victim became aware of the scheme when she received insurance and loan information for a vehicle she did not purchase. She filed a complaint with ADOT’s Office of Inspector General, and detectives with the Dealer Investigation Unit opened an investigation.

The dealership in Flagstaff was made aware of the situation and called Cepi, demanding that he return the Corvette. Instead, he abandoned the sports car at the dealership in Winslow where he worked and disappeared. While searching for Cepi, ADOT detectives brought the case before a grand jury where the felony warrant was issued.

Cepi was found working at a dealership in Gallup, New Mexico where he was arrested by local authorities on July 29. He will be extradited to Arizona to face charges of fraud schemes and forgery, theft of means of transportation and taking the identity of another.

Checking your credit report after a major purchase, such as a vehicle, is a good way to make sure no one is using your information without your knowledge. Each of the major credit bureaus will provide you one free credit report each year.

In addition to identity theft, detectives with ADOT’s Office of Inspector General also investigate fraud involving vehicle title and registration, licensed and unlicensed dealers, and support investigations by state, local and federal law enforcement.

Person Arrested After Firing Multiple Shots from Residence in Parks

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PARKS – On August 6, 2019 around 3:25 am Deputies responded to Archers Road in Parks, Arizona for reports from neighbors of a person yelling and shots being fired.

Upon arrival, deputies saw a male suspect at the residence and the suspect fired at the responding officers. The suspect appeared to be agitated, and deputies attempted to verbally de-escalate him. Law enforcement made contact with neighboring residents to secure the area and ensure public safety.

Throughout the incident, the suspect moved inside and outside the residence, continuing to fire multiple weapons. At one point while the suspect was firing rounds at responding officers, a deputy returned fire. After approximately an hour, the armed suspect came outside again. The suspect was partially compliant and deputies were able to disarm him and take him into custody. The suspect was transported for medical evaluation.

The Northern Arizona Joint Tactical Team had been requested and assisted in clearing the residence. No other persons were inside. Lifeline Medical and Ponderosa Fire also responded.

The suspect, who has been identified as 41-year-old Daniel Cluse of Flagstaff, AZ, will be booked into Coconino County Detention Facility.

The Northern Arizona Officer Involved Shooting Team led by the Flagstaff Police Department will be investigating the incident.

Coconino County Investigating Death and Attempted Stabbing Near Gray Mountain

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GRAY MOUNTAIN – On August 5, 2019 at 1:10 pm, Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies and Arizona Department of Public Safety Troopers from Flagstaff responded to Highway 89N near Gray Mountain for a motor vehicle accident, stabbing and death.

The first deputy on scene arrived at 1:34 pm and closed the highway in both directions. The Deputy observed a male body in the middle of the south bound lane. The Deputy checked for vitals and none were found. The subject showed signs of multiple injuries and heavy bleeding. Witnesses advised that a vehicle just south of the location may have been involved and that there was a stabbing victim at the vehicle.

Investigation revealed a couple out of Arkansas were traveling southbound on Highway 89N when they stopped to assist a vehicle that had possibly been involved in an accident. When the couple approached the vehicle, a male suspect from that vehicle ran at them with one hand behind his back.

The male suspect armed with a knife jumped on top of the victim’s car and began to break the sunroof. A struggle ensued between the male passenger and the suspect on top of the car. The female driver attempted to drive away while the male passenger tried to push the suspect away from the car. While the victims were trying to drive off and while the two males were struggling, the vehicle swerved. The suspect fell off the top of the car into the roadway where he was located upon arrival of law enforcement.

Victim and witness accounts indicate the vehicle traveled approximately ¼ to ½ mile at estimated speeds of 60 to 70 miles per hour before the suspect came off the roof and onto the road way. The male stabbing victim was treated on scene and transported to Flagstaff Medical Center for non-life-threatening wounds to his hands. The female victim was treated and released on scene by medics. The suspect’s wife was transport to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office for questioning.

This matter is still under investigation by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office. No further information is available at this time. The Arizona Department of Public Safety will be handling any road closure matters.

AZGFD Commission honored by Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

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AZGF Photo

PHOENIX — The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) honored conservation professionals from several western states with awards commending their work to conserve fish and wildlife resources at an awards ceremony July 15 at the organization’s annual conference in Manhattan, Kansas.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission was recognized with the WAFWA Commission of the Year Award.

Current AZGFD Commission members are: James Zieler; Eric Sparks; Kurt Davis; Leland “Bill” Brake; and James Goughnour.

“As a staunch advocate for the state’s authorities to manage wildlife in Arizona, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission is a national leader in wildlife conservation,” AZGFD Director Ty Gray said. “This leadership and support allows the Department to generate innovative ways to better serve our customers and ensure Arizona’s wildlife and outdoor recreational opportunities are around for future generations to enjoy.”

WAFWA also honored Bureau of Land Management Arizona State Director Ray Suazo as its Federal Conservation Partner of the Year. Since his appointment as State Director in 2011, Suazo has supported AZGFD’s mission to conserve Arizona’s diverse wildlife resources.

For more information about WAFWA and to review a complete list of award recipients, visit www.wafwa.org.

Castle Fire pushes on reaching 15,000 acres

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FREDONIA — The Castle Fire made another push westward on Monday, resulting in a 3,100-acre gain. The fire’s path has covered 15,000 acres within the pre-identified planning area of 19,632 acres. Favorable conditions including dry weather over the western edge of the planning area, available fuels and topography have contributed to the fire’s spread.

The Castle Fire started on July 12th and it has been allowed to burn naturally across the landscape. Allowing this lightning-caused fire to burn across the landscape during this time of the year was a strategic decision by fire managers. The fire intensity was mostly low to moderate, with occasional flare ups in dense pockets of fuel.Under the right conditions, fire helps break down nutrients and minerals in plants and other debris such as old logs and dense undergrowth and restores them to the soil, resulting in a more fertile forest floor.

Firefighters will continue with firing operations and mastication work to ensure that the western and southern perimeters are secure enough to hold the fire. The biggest challenge along Forest Road 226, which is also the western perimeter of the planning area, has been the powerline that exists along this corridor. Firefighters have been working diligently to ensure that any potential for increased fire behavior has been mitigated. This work, coupled with the fire’s positive effects on the land will result in long lasting improvements, both ecologically and to existing infrastructure.

Today’s weather forecast: partly cloudy then mostly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.

The fire’s origin is located about 11 miles south of Jacob Lake, 3 miles west of Highway 67, and just east of Forest Road 761 near Oquer Canyon.

A Closure Order remains in effect for the Castle Fire area: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6439/