Daily Archives: July 30, 2019

Suspect in Fernwood assault incident booked

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FLAGSTAFF – Detectives with the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office continue to investigate the July 29, 2019 assault that occurred in Fernwood. Additional information is being released about the shots fired and the arrest of the suspect.

On July 29, 2019 immediately after the victim was assaulted and while deputies were responding, family members attempted to locate the suspect outside of the house. The family members saw a person that they believed may be the suspect on a nearby neighborhood roadway. When they drove near the suspect, the suspect drew a handgun and fired at least one bullet at the victim’s family members. The suspect then fled. No one was injured during the shots fired incident.

During a neighborhood canvas looking for the suspect and other witnesses, deputies located the suspect at his residence. He was taken into custody without further incident. Deputies also recovered the handgun believed to be used in the armed confrontation with the family of the assault victim.

The suspect was taken to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office for questioning. That individual was subsequently booked into the Coconino County Detention Facility. Another male subject, who deputies initially thought may have been involved in the incident, also was taken to the Sheriff’s Office for questioning. After interviews and further investigation, the second person does not appear to have been involved and he was released.

Kasey Johnson, a 22-year-old from Flagstaff, was booked into the Coconino County Jail the following charges: Sexual Abuse, Armed Robbery with a Deadly Weapon, five counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, First Degree Residential Burglary, and two counts of Sexual Conduct with a Minor.

The case remains under investigation by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office. If anyone has any information regarding this incident, please contact the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office 1-800-338-7888 or Silent Witness at 928-774-6111

Castle Fire slowly continues burning towards Riggs Canyon

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FREDONIA — Excellent progress is being made in securing the entire perimeter of the 19,368-acre planning area which defines the outermost boundary of the Castle Fire. The fire has burned north and south from its point of origin, traversing almost 12 miles of the eastern perimeter of the planning area. As the fire established itself, it gained depth and started spreading southwest towards Riggs Canyon.

Traveling across the landscape, the fire is consuming dead and down material, leaving a footprint of lightly smoldering fine surface fuels and the area is now primed for regeneration. Active flames are mostly occurring on the flaming front of the fire, which constitutes a small percentage of the 7,900 acres that have burned over the past 19 days.

Although scattered thunderstorms have visited the general area over the past week, no precipitation has materialized over the Castle Fire. When the rains do arrive however, they will be the catalyst for restoring and renewing the area that the fire has visited.

Since July 12th, the lightning-caused Castle Fire has grown to 7,900 acres. It has now moved across about 40% of the planning area and has 177 personnel assigned. 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.

Following long-term planning and preparation for a natural ignition to occur in the right place and at the right time, fire managers have been allowing the fire to burn naturally within its pre-defined 19,368-acre planning area.

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

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

Kaibab National Forest proposes fee increase for Ten X Campground

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TUSAYAN — The Kaibab National Forest is proposing to increase fees for overnight camping at Ten X Campground on the Tusayan Ranger District in order to better align prices with other nearby private and public recreation areas as well as to improve visitor experience by enhancing amenities and services.

The fees at Ten X Campground have not been raised for more than 25 years, resulting in the recreation area being significantly underpriced as compared to equivalent offerings. The proposed fee increases would not only better align costs with average market values but would also provide additional funds to better maintain existing infrastructure, hire more seasonal workers to service the campground, and support the proposed expansion of this popular recreation site.

The Kaibab National Forest is proposing that the overnight camping fee for a single site be raised from the current $10 to $24, and for a double site from $20 to $48. The Kaibab National Forest is also proposing that the overnight fee for Group Site A, which accommodates 75 people, be increased from the current $125 to $175, and for Group Site B, which accommodates 50 people, from $75 to $125. Fees are assessed based on the level of amenities and services provided, cost of operation and maintenance, market assessment, and public comment.

“Ten X Campground provides a valuable camping experience in a beautiful setting for visitors to Grand Canyon National Park and northern Arizona,” said Dutch Maatman, assistant recreation staff officer with the Kaibab National Forest. “If approved, this fee increase will help us support the proposed expansion of the campground, increase the amenities offered there, and ultimately provide the positive recreation experience that our visitors have come to expect.”

In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, which allows the Forest Service to retain funds collected at certain recreation sites and use those funds locally to operate, maintain and improve these sites. Eighty to 95 percent of the revenue collected at recreation fee sites remains on forest for management of those same facilities.

Under REA, all new fees and fee changes must be proposed and approved by a citizen advisory committee, in this case the Arizona Bureau of Land Management Recreation Resource Advisory Committee. Committee members represent a broad range of recreation interest groups to help ensure that the Forest Service is proposing reasonable and publicly acceptable new fees and fee changes.

Members of the public are invited to provide input on the Kaibab National Forest’s proposed Ten X Campground fee increases through Oct. 31, 2019. Comments should be submitted to Dutch Maatman at joseph.maatman@usda.gov or (928) 635-5661.

Once the public review period has ended, the proposed fee changes and all comments received will be considered by the advisory committee, which will then submit a recommendation to the Regional Forester of the Forest Service’s Southwestern Region for a final decision.

To learn more about the proposed Ten X Campground Expansion project, please visit www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55626.