Category Archives: Flagstaff

Suspicious Activity Involving a Child

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FLAGSTAFF – Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies are requesting assistance in identifying and locating a Native American female who offered a nine year-old child a ride as the child exited a school bus at the bus stop in her neighborhood. It is believed the driver of a maroon or red older SUV possibly a Chevrolet Tahoe followed the child to her home and attempted to make contact with occupants inside the house.

On Friday, September 12, 2014 at about 1:22 pm a Sheriff’s Dispatcher received a call of a trespass in progress with a child inside the home and an adult Native American female attempting to get inside. A deputy was met with the girl and her father at their Doney Park residence.

According to the child she exited the school bus at the stop located at the intersection of Townsend Winona Road and Bluefield Road. She noticed a red SUV parked by the exit door of the bus. As she walked by the vehicle a Native American woman in the driver’s seat asked the child if she wanted a ride home to which she replied no.

As the child proceeded to walk home she noticed that the red SUV was following her. The child then dropped her water bottle and ran home crossing several residential yards in the process. Once at her home the child saw the SUV drive up in front of her house and stop.

According to the child the woman exited her vehicle, approached the front door and knocked on it. The woman asked in a voice loud enough for the child to hear if anyone was at home. The child was so frightened by the woman’s actions that she hid in a room located within the home. Eventually the woman left the area.

The suspect is described as a heavyset adult Native American female. The vehicle is described as a red or maroon SUV, possibly an older model and possibly a Chevrolet Tahoe. Anyone with information regarding this incident or with information regarding the identity of the Native American female is asked to call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 774-4523 or toll free at 1-800-338-7888 or Silent Witness at (928)774-6111.

Forest Service Officer Involved Shooting Update

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CLINT WELLS, AZ – The Forest Service Officer involved shooting that occurred on Friday, September 19, 2014 in the Blue ridge area which resulted in the death of the individual who attacked the officer is ongoing.

The deceased man has been identified as sixty-six year old Courtney James VanRiper—also spelled Van Ripper—with a last known address in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is also believed that at some point Mr. VanRiper resided in an unknown city or town in Wyoming. Coconino County Sheriff’s detectives have not been able to identify or contact any of his next of kin. Mr. VanRiper’s name is being released at this point in the investigation with the hope that someone who knows him can assist investigators in identifying and contacting his family members.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is conducting the external portion of this investigation. The Forest Service Officer who conducted the contact with Mr. VanRiper has been identified as thirty-four year old Douglas A. Pederson. Officer Pederson has been employed with the Forest for 15 years in several capacities. Douglas Pederson has been a United States Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer for 2 years.

On Friday, September 19, 2014 at 1:46 pm Officer Pederson contacted a Sheriff’s Office dispatcher by radio to advise he was contacting an individual who was camping in the area of the junction of Highway 260 and State Route 87 off of Forest Service road 616. It should be noted that the Sheriff’s Office provides dispatch and radio communication services to Forest Service Officers who work within Coconino County. During subsequent transmissions Officer Pederson advised dispatch that shots had been fired, requested emergency medical services immediately and gave his location.

Emergency medical personnel of the Pine/Strawberry Fire Department treated Mr. VanRiper at the scene and transported him to the Payson Regional Medical Center. Mr. VanRiper was pronounced deceased on Friday, September 19, 2014. Officers with the United States Forest Service, the Arizona Department of Public Safety and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations also responded to the location of the shooting.

At this point in the investigation detectives have learned that Officer Pederson observed a vehicle parked in an unimproved area of the forest at a temporary campsite. According to the officer he approached the camp and made contact with Mr. VanRiper. According to Officer Pederson Mr. VanRiper had the DVD player in the vehicle on so loud that communication was difficult. The officer asked him to turn the DVD player down.

While in the vehicle Mr. VanRiper spent a considerable amount of time sorting through items and the officer told him several times to come out of the vehicle. Once Mr. VanRiper exited his vehicle he had a large can of bear repellant/pepper spray which he used to spray at the officer striking him in his face.

Officer Pederson who was partially incapacitated and with impaired vision fired multiple rounds at the suspect striking VanRiper twice. Officer Pederson administered first aid to Mr. VanRiper until he was relieved by emergency medical personnel.

Detectives learned that Mr. VanRiper was the subject of an outstanding felony warrant for probation violation issued out of the Yavapai County Superior Court. The vehicle Mr. VanRiper was in possession of was reported as stolen out of Flagstaff, Arizona. Mr. VanRiper was also in possession of a stolen handgun.

White Buffalo Business Building Destroyed by Fire

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FLAGSTAFF – On Friday, September 12, 2014 at 3:59 am Deputies from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office responded to a structure fire that was reported at the White Buffalo Trading Post in Kendrick Park on Highway 180 at mile post 256 north of Flagstaff.

The fire was initially reported by hunters in the area. Upon arrival, Deputies found the structure fully engulfed.

Summit Fire Department and Flagstaff Fire Department responded to the scene to extinguish the fire. At this point in the investigation, the cause of the fire is unknown and is under investigation.

This building has been unoccupied for several years. No citizens or firefighters were injured during the suppression efforts. Coconino County Sheriff’s Detectives and investigators with the Summit Fire Department are conducting a joint investigation. There is extensive damage to the structure.

Paving work on Interstate 17 south of SR 169 scheduled next week

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adot-logo3Motorists traveling next week between Phoenix and Flagstaff need to plan ahead, be alert for work zones and allow extra travel time due to a pavement improvement project that is entering its final stages along Interstate 17, midway between Cordes Junction and Camp Verde.

Work hours have primarily been overnight, but starting on Tuesday, Sept. 16, crews will begin applying the new top layer of rubberized asphalt, which is temperature sensitive and needs to be completed during daytime hours.

Drivers can expect I-17 to be narrowed to one lane in each direction between the Dugas Road/Orme Road exit and the State Route 169 junction (mileposts 269-279) from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. during weekdays (Monday through Thursday) through the end of this month.

In addition, the I-17 on- and off-ramps at the SR 169 interchange will be closed intermittently beginning at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 14 through 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 15. Delays of up to 30 minutes are possible.

The work zone will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage. ADOT advises drivers to allow additional time to reach their destinations and to proceed through the work zone with caution, comply with the reduced speed limit, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

Lane Striping on US 180 from Flagstaff to Snow Bowl this week

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adot-logo3US 180 will undergo roadway striping this week for three miles beginning at Columbus Avenue and continuing north to the intersection of US 180 and Freemont Boulevard/Mt. Elden Road. The work will be conducted during nighttime hours from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., Wednesday through Friday, Sept. 10 to Sept. 12.

The striping application on Friday will require a short-term, temporary closure of Forest Avenue for both east- and westbound lanes to allow paint and sealants to cure. Detours for Forest Avenue will be Beaver Street for southbound travel, and US 180 for northbound travel. The closure at Forest Avenue will be of a short duration and lifted as soon as the materials have finished the curing process.

Traffic along US 180 will experience short one-lane closures as required during the painting application. Flaggers will provide alternating access for both north- and southbound travel, and DPS will be on-site to accommodate intersection traffic. Please allow for extra driving time while traveling in the area and exercise caution while in the construction zone.

Bellemont gets the view

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600px-Bow-02BELLEMONT – The flaky monsoons continue this weekend. Yesterday while Flagstaff was dumped on, Williams received little or no precipitation. In the middle Bellemont was treated to a spectacular view of a double rainbow. Our pictures unfortunately did not do it justice.

belllemont-rainbow-0905The monsoons are expected to continue throughout the weekend with Flagstaff and Williams receiving similar forecasts. There is a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms today rising to around 80% through Monday night. Tuesday the forecast drops back down to around 50%.

Winds are expected to be no more that ten-miles-per-hour throughout the period.
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Maintenance work on I-17 (Milton Avenue) in Flagstaff Wednesday

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adot-logo3FLAGSTAFF – Travelers heading north through Flagstaff may experience long delays this Wednesday, Sept. 3 as ADOT maintenance crews pave a section of I-17 (Milton Avenue) from I-40 to McConnell Road. The pavement repair work will reduce northbound travel to one lane and is scheduled to occur from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Access to McConnell Road will be provided at all times during construction. Drivers are asked to allow for extra travel time to reach their destinations and use caution while in the construction area.

California Man dies in Motorcycle Accident

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FLAGSTAFF – A motorcycle collision that occurred Friday, August 29, 2014 at approximately 9:50 am on Lake Mary Road at Mile Post 327, east of the Flagstaff city limits claimed the life of 60 year old Glenn Gelman of Yorbalinda, California.

Dispatchers of the Flagstaff/Coconino County Regional 911 center received the call at 9:59 am. Deputies and detectives were dispatched to the scene and determined that for an unknown reason Mr. Gelman was driving his motorcycle west on Lake Mary Road when he lost control of his vehicle causing it to leave the roadway on the north side. The vehicle traveled a short distance and then flipped end over end at least once, possibly twice. According to witnesses following Mr. Gelman his speed was approximately 50 miles per hour and investigators did not find any evidence of sudden brake application. He was pronounced deceased at the scene of the collision.

At this stage in the investigation deputies have determined that Mr. Gelman was riding with a large group of other motorcycle enthusiasts who were participating in a cross country tour from Mexico to Canada called the SCMA Classic Three Flags. Prior to the collision while the tour group was stopped in Payson the victim told one of the other participants that he was not feeling well and felt tired and fatigued. Investigators are considering the possibility that Mr. Gelman suffered a medical emergency causing him to lose control of his motorcycle.

This investigation is being continued by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Yavapai County Primary Election night reporting delay

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Arizona-electsPRESCOTT – During Primary Election Night Reporting, Yavapai County, working with new election equipment, experienced technical difficulties properly exporting the results file out of its system. Yavapai County worked throughout the night and exported a results file at approximately 5:40 a.m. Once Yavapai exported the file, that data was successfully uploaded into the state election night reporting system without difficulty. It does not appear to significantly change the results of the primary.

A press release from Leslie M. Hoffman, Yavapai County Recorder, stated:

The elections results for the Primary Election of August 26, 2014 were accurately tabulated, published on the Yavapai County website, and reported to the Arizona Secretary of State. There was a delay in reporting election data to the Secretary of State due to a communication issue that slowed the export of the data to the Secretary of State. The new Unisyn Voting Solutions’ equipment installed by Yavapai County pursuant to ARS 16-442(F) performed as designed. The new equipment is certified by the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission and used in multiple jurisdictions across the country. The vote tabulations were accurate and posted on the County website beginning at 9:30PM and the election data uploaded to the Secretary of State by 6:00AM. The Elections Department is working closely with Unisyn Voting Solutions to resolve the communication issue that created the delay.

The office of the Secretary of State stated in their email:

In May 2014, Yavapai County approved this election equipment for experimental use pursuant to A.R.S. 16-442(F). Since the Secretary of State’s Office certifies an end-to-end voting system, the system as configured in Yavapai County was not certified by the State. This new election system, Unisyn OpenElect, is only used in Yavapai County.

A.R.S. 16-442 referenced provides:

The secretary of state or the governing body may provide for the experimental use of a voting system or device without a final adoption thereof, and its use at the election is as valid as if the machines had been permanently adopted.

Unisyn OpenElect voting systems is part of International Lottery & Totalizator Systems corporation which makes online wagering systems for horse racing and lottery systems. According to the company website, Berjaya Lottery Management (HK) Ltd. in Wan Chai, Hong Kong has become their major shareholder. The Unisyn OpenElect voting system was approved for use by the Election Assistance Commission in 2005.

It appears that the voting problem is not a significant factor in the CD-1 race between Andy Tobin and Gary Kiehne, despite television news reports.

What is a factor are the votes yet to be tabulated. According to a press release by the Secretary of State there are still votes yet to be tabulated in Coconino and Yavapai Counties. There are still 2,596 early and 984 provisional ballots yet to be tallied in Coconino. There are 1,894 early and 507 provisional ballots remaining in Yavapai. Only 470 votes separate Tobin from opponent Kiehne.

The current results are not official as the canvasing process is not over. Counties have five-days until the close of business Wednesday, September 3 to verify and process the remaining ballots. A state canvas to certify the election results for national, State and legislative races is scheduled for September 8.

Yavapai County election officials did not respond to a phone call for an interview, but did issue a press release through the office of the Secretary of State.

Primary 2014 done deal. For the most part.

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Arizona-electsSTATEWIDE – Republicans have selected Doug Ducey to represent them in the governors race. John Huppenthal will no longer be the Superintendent of Public Instruction. It appears that Tom Horne has lost his race to Mark Bronovich. Tom Forese and Doug Little will probably be the the Republican candidates for Arizona Corporation Commission.

Michele Reagan will face former Attorney General Terry Goddard for the position of Secretary of State in the General Election.

In Coconino County elections voter turnout matched the predicted 25% with 25.72% of voters turning out to vote. As of 10:25 70 of 71 precints in the county reported.

Coconino County voted for Andy Tobin to represent them with 2,880 votes to 1986 votes for Gary Kiehne with 68 of 71 precincts reporting. Adam Kwasman received 1,308 of the 6,218 votes counted. Throughout the rest of the Congressional District 1, however, the numbers change drastically. As of this writing, the only race left is for Congressional District 1 where 14 votes separate Andy Tobin and Gary Kiehne. with 125 precints yet to report. This is basically the only race that has not been called.

Coconino selected Doug Ducey with Christine Jones coming in second by 2,262 to 1,555 votes respectively. Scott Smith came in fourth with Ken Bennett beating him out by 33 votes for third place. Doug Ducey, of course, has already been declared the Republican Candiadate for governor statewide.

The late Senator Chester Crandell will win the nomination for Senator for Legislative District 6. However Sylvia Allen will be the candidate for the seat. Currently she runs unopposed as there are no Democrats or official write-in candidates facing her. The only opposition she would have is if a write-in files.

There is no surprise that Brenda Barton and Bob Thorpe are the Republican nominees for State Representative for LD-6, but they will be opposed by Democrat Lanny Morrison.

In Flagstaff, Celia Barotz leads the Council race with 21.33% of the vote followed by Eva Putzova with 18.03% and Jim McCarthy in third with 15.10% of the vote. Scott Overton is followed by Charlie Odegaard 12.96% to 12.20% respectively.

Sandra J. Moriarity has won over Cliff Hamilton for the Mayor of Sedona with with 407 votes to 373 votes and both precints reporting. For council Angela Lefevre leads the race with 24.8% of the vote followed by John Thompson with 18.71%. Scott Jablow took third place with 16.60% of the vote. Rio Robson took 12.48% of the vote with the rest of the candidates receiving less than 10% each.

In Tusayan Bill Fitzgerald has taken 27.74% of the vote for council member. John Rueter has 24.52% of the vote, Craig Sanderson 20.65% and Rebecca Wirth 19.35%.

Since Proposition 402 passed in Williams, John Moore is declared re-elected for Mayor with the three councilmen; Donald Dent, Bernie Hiemenz and Lee Payne.

In the race for Justice of the Peace in Williams, incumbent Robert Krombeen won 615 votes to 360 votes for contender Jeff Brownlee. The Justice of the Peace race in Flagstaff appears to have gone to Howard Grodman with 53.89% of the vote agains Warren Sanford’s 45.79% of the vote.

In Sedona, Proposition 429 passed 499 votes to 237. Proposition 401 passed in Tusayan 36 to 24 votes. Proposition 400 in the Town of Fredonia passed 86 to 36.