Daily Archives: September 12, 2019

Suspect arrested after stabbing his passenger

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David Slater – Coconino County Sheriff Photo

FLAGSTAFF – On September 11, 2019 at approximately 8:26 pm, the Flagstaff Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety responded to a collision near the intersection of Interstate 17 and McConnell Drive.

One of the people who called 911 to report the incident told dispatch that a white dually truck involved in the wreck had taken off and left the scene. The truck was reported to have front end damage from the wreck. The caller also reported there was a male subject at the scene who told them he had been stabbed while he was riding in the truck. The male subject was transported to Flagstaff Medical Center where he was treated.

Later in the evening, Deputies received a call for service for a welfare check in the Winona area east of Flagstaff. The caller said had last spoken with her boyfriend around 4 pm and had not heard from him since which was unusual. Deputies responded to a residence in Winona to conduct the welfare check. The deputy noticed there was a silver colored dually truck parked at the residence, and the truck had front end damage. The deputy also noticed there was blood inside the truck. The deputy realized that this truck may be involved with the incident reported earlier in the evening.

As deputies conducted the welfare check on the homeowner, the man advised the deputies that he met two other males at a local bar and the group returned to his residence where they continued to drink. At some point in the evening, the two other males got into a verbal argument and one of the subjects stabbed the other. The suspect left the residence. The homeowner attempted to transport the stabbing victim to the hospital but crashed the vehicle near I-17 and McConnell Drive. The stabbed victim got out of the vehicle, and the driver left the scene.

During their investigation Deputies identified the suspect in the stabbing incident. They learned he had been arrested shortly after the stabbing incident on DUI related charges by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The suspect has been identified as 61-year-old David Slater from Anthem, AZ. The suspect was booked into the Coconino County Jail for two counts of Aggravated Assault.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Flagstaff Police Department and Arizona Department of Public Safety will be coordinating their investigation of the various events related to this incident.

Northern Arizona drivers should plan for delays during overnight closures of Interstate 40 September 16 and 19

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BELLEMONT – The Arizona Department of Transportation urges northern Arizona drivers on Interstate 40 west of Flagstaff to prepare for delays while crews fully close Interstate 40 and begin work to replace the bridges at Exit 185 near the community of Bellemont.

The work will require the following overnight closures next week:

  • Eastbound I-40 will close at Bellemont (Exit 185) from 7 p.m. to midnight Monday, September 16.
  • Westbound I-40 will close at Bellemont (Exit 185) from 7 p.m. to midnight Thursday, September 19.
  • During these interstate closures, Transwestern Road passing over I-40 will also be closed.

DETOUR: I-40 traffic will be re-routed onto the ramps alongside I-40 through the construction zone.

Forest Service announces cause of Museum Fire

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FLAGSTAFF – The Forest Service is announcing the preliminary results of the investigation regarding the cause of the Museum Fire, a wildfire which began July 21 and burned 1,961 acres on the Coconino National Forest above Flagstaff.

Fire investigators have determined that the human-caused wildfire originated in a steep slope environment associated with critical restoration work and was likely caused by an excavator striking a rock during operations. The resulting spark created a heat source that hibernated until warm, dry, and windy conditions arrived that caused the heat source to grow into a small fire and was subsequently spread by the wind. Rock strikes are possible during operations in steep slope thinning restoration projects such as the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project.

At this time, the investigation has shown that the cause of the fire was not related to negligence and that all proper inspections of equipment were conducted. The investigation also determined that the last piece of equipment was used 14 hours prior to the first report of fire, and the operator had completed a one-hour fire watch before leaving the area.

“It’s unfortunate that the Museum Fire started as the result of ongoing restoration work designed to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire and improve forest health and resiliency—especially in the Flagstaff area where citizens joined together to invest resources to help fund the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project,” said Coconino National Forest Supervisor Laura Jo West. “Fortunately, some of the restoration work that had been completed previously in and around the wildfire area actually helped stop the fire from becoming larger and more destructive.”

Post-fire analysis show that 50 percent of the wildfire burned at low severity, 38 percent burned at moderate severity, and 12 percent of the area burned at high severity. During the past several years, city and Coconino National Forest personnel have worked diligently to implement planned Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project actions and have made substantial progress.

“While the cause of the fire is unfortunate, it does not take away from the significant mitigating impact the treatment work had on the fire and subsequently the forest and our watershed,” said Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans. “The restoration work initiated by the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project, in partnership with the Forest Service, is incredibly valuable and we remain committed to continuing this work and further protecting our watershed.”

Deep layers of forest fuels and roots can hold heat for long periods of time, burning and smoldering underground for days, weeks, or months without any sign of a fire. They can surface at a later time when temperatures become warmer and the weather becomes windier, causing a wildfire. As with all investigations, the Forest Service will continue to investigate and provide updates if new information is uncovered.