Tag Archives: Coconino County Sheriff

Body Discovered by Camper Near Sunset Crater National Monument

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – February 21st, at approximately 3:47 pm Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to an area off of Forest Service Road 545 North of Flagstaff along Highway 89, for the report of a possible dead body found by a camper.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a phone call from the Wupatki Ranger station, that an individual camping off Forest Service Road 545 had found what was believed to be a dead body near the individual’s camp. While deputies from the Flagstaff district were responding to the area, assistance was requested from National Park Service and Forest Service Officers who were in the area to help locate the area given by the camper and secure the scene.

Once on scene, deputies were able to locate and confirm a deceased female. Coconino County Criminal Investigations and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office were notified and responded to the area. Investigators worked through the night and into the next day before clearing the scene.

The victim was transported by the Medical Examiner’s Office to Flagstaff on Friday evening. The Medical Examiner’s Office will investigate to determine the identity of the deceased female. Due to the ongoing investigation, no further details are currently available. More information will be made available as the investigation progresses.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance with this incident. Anyone who may have recently seen anything suspicious in the area of Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monument is asked to contact Silent Witness at (928) 774-6111 or Coconino County Sheriff’s Detective Jones at (928) 226-5038, with any information to help solve this crime.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the National Park Service and the United States Forest Service for their assistance in this matter.

Sheriff’s Office Receives Grants from Governor’s Office of Highway Safety

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office has received two grants from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) to increase roadway safety and improve the accuracy and timeliness of traffic related data.

The first awarded grant is in the amount of $46,666 to purchase driver’s license scanners and in-car printers to be used with the Arizona Traffic and Criminal Software (AzTraCS). The Sheriff’s Office deputies currently hand write accident and traffic citation documents. Copies of the accident reports are sent to the state and entered into a database. ADOT receives an average of 600 papers reports a week. The reports are then scanned into a storage program and then entered into the State database.

The AzTraCS system is a mobile accident reporting software system, that can be used for electronic traffic citations, developing traffic accident reports and other report/forms. It allows the deputies to swipe driver’s licenses, complete the documents electronically and upload to the state. The AzTraCS system, driver’s license scanner and electronic transfer of information provides a more efficient use of Sheriff’s Office staff time. The documents have a higher accuracy and are completed quickly. AzTraCS will fully integrate to our Records Management System.

The only cost to agencies will be the equipment needed to operate and use the software. This includes scanners, printers and installation in Sheriff’s Office vehicles. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is providing funding through a grant to purchase the equipment needed. This project will provide faster, more accurate documents and a higher level of deputy safety.

The second grant awarded from GOHS will be used to purchase two radar speed trailers, in the amount of $20,000. The equipment will enhance our ability to address the problems of speed violators and traffic accident investigations.

The combination of large population of high school and college students, the high number of recreational visitors, and the availability of rural party areas contribute significantly to the number of traffic violations, driving under the influence, and accidents on our roadways. Speeding is one of the highest activity categories for our deputies. The radar message board trailers will provide educational sign messaging, as well as current speed of vehicles.

The goals of these projects funding by GOHS are to address critical roadway safety issues such as impaired driving, speed related crashes, and related injuries and fatalities.

Coconino SAR rescues injured skier on Fremont Peak

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – On February 16th at approximately 6:10 PM the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a call about an injured skier on the north side of Fremont Peak on a path known as Telemark. The 25-year-old male from Flagstaff had been skiing down the path and fell causing a shoulder injury which made impossible for him to continue to ski down. The group that he was with requested rescue and began to assist him down to the toe of the path where the terrain was less steep.

CCSO SAR rescue injured skier on north side of Fremont peak. – CCSO Photo

An Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue helicopter was requested to assist with the rescue, however due to the winds in the Inner Basin of the San Francisco Peaks and the location of the injured party, they were not able to land to conduct the rescue. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team responded to the area and were assisted by an ambulance crew from Guardian Medical Transport. The SAR team and the Guardian Medical crew drove the Sheriff’s Office snowcat to the Lockett Meadow campground in the Interior Valley.

The injured skier and his party were able to make it to the Inner Basin snow study cabins and waited there for rescuers. Due to the snow conditions in the area, the snowcat was not able to make it to the cabins, so a SAR team with the Guardian Medical crew hiked from the Lockett Meadow Campground to the cabins, which were approximately one and a half miles away. Upon arrival at the cabins at approximately 1:30 AM patient care was initiated by Guardian Medical and the SAR team prepared the patient for transport in a litter using a “hypothermia wrap” system to keep him warm and dry during the litter carry to the snowcat. The patient was loaded into the snowcat at approximately 3:30 AM and then transported down to the base of Lockett Meadow Road to be transferred to the ambulance for transport to the Flagstaff Medical Center.

This mission was another example of the close coordination and relationships between Northern Arizona emergency responders. The patient and his party were also well prepared and experienced in backcountry travel which allowed them to adequately manage the emergency until rescuers could arrive. Emergencies that occur in the wilderness areas require that the parties involved be able to manage the situation for an extended period of time as access is often difficult or time consuming. Being prepared for emergencies in the winter backcountry requires the proper clothing and equipment as well as experience using that equipment.

Person Injured by Gunshot in Westwood Ranches Area

Posted on by

SELIGMAN – On January 30, 2020, at approximately 4:00 am, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Deputies from the Flagstaff and Williams Districts responded to the Seligman area for a report of a subject being shot in the leg.

Sheriff’s Deputies along with Lifeline Ambulance responded to the Westwood Ranches Area north of Seligman to an address off of Pipeline Road. Deputies, while enroute to the residence, were advised through Flagstaff Dispatch that a 43-year-old male subject had reportedly, been accidently shot in the leg with a handgun and was currently being transported by a private vehicle to meet with Deputies and the medical personnel. Deputies and medical personnel with Lifeline Ambulance were able to make contact at the entrance to Westwood Ranches and Crookton Rd.

The victim was transported to Flagstaff Medical Center by Lifeline Ambulance. At this Time the incident under investigation by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators are at the scene where the shooting took place and will continue throughout the day.

No further details are available at this time. More information will be made available as the investigation progresses.

Coconino County Detention Facility Upgrades Video Visitation System

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – The Coconino County Detention Facility recently upgraded its Video Visitation System so that friends and family can now visit from anywhere using a smart phone, computer or tablet. Visitors no longer need to go to the jail lobby to use the free video visitation feature.

Inmates now receive 60 minutes of free video visitation each week. Visitation can take place from anywhere, and inmates can use their weekly free minutes for the visits. The 60 minutes can be split up into different visits and can be used with any type of visit, whether to a computer, phone, tablet, or with someone in the Flagstaff or Page jail lobbies.

For more information and to set up an account, please visit www.gettingout.com or from a smart phone or table visit the app store to download the free app GettingOut Visit.

Sexual assault suspect in custody

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – On January 25, at approximately 4:30 am, Jason Gonnie was taken into custody during a traffic stop at 4th Street and Highway 66 by Deputies from Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and Officers and the Flagstaff Police Department.

Gonnie was taken into custody without incident, during an early Saturday morning traffic stop, where he was then transported to the Coconino County Detention Facility.

Gonnie was booked for Kidnapping, Sex Assault, 3 counts of Endangerment, Aggravated Assault with a deadly weapon, Burglary 2nd degree, Possession of Marijuana and a Probation Warrant. Gonnie currently has a $150,000.00 bond.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Flagstaff Police Department, Department of Public safety, United States Marshals Office, the media and the public for their assistance in bringing this matter to a peaceful resolution.

Barricaded Subject in Kachina Village not found in residence.

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – On January 23, 2020 around 5:20 pm, after continued efforts by negotiators to contact the suspect Jason Gonnie with negative results, the Tactical Team was deployed and made entry into the residence off Chof Trail where Gonnie was last seen.

The entire multilevel residence was cleared and searched by the Tactical Team with the assistance of a canine and robot. Gonnie was not in the residence.

Detectives found through investigating the incident that the suspect was familiar with the family and the residence. Gonnie is believed to have broken into the lower level of the residence and contacted the victim sometime Wednesday night.

Gonnie remained at the residence until Thursday morning at which
point, he presented a weapon and refused to allow the victim and children to leave the home. It was during this time Gonnie reportedly sexually assaulted the victim. Around 1:00 pm on Thursday the victim was able to escape the residence with her two children after Gonnie moved to another level of the residence, leaving her alone.

Efforts to locate Jason Gonnie are ongoing. Gonnie is considered a threat to the public and potentially armed. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to use caution if they come in to contact with Gonnie. If anyone is aware of Gonnie’s location or sees him, they are asked to immediately
call 911 or Silent Witness at 928-774-6111.

Barricaded Subject in Kachina Village

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – On January 23, 2020 since around 1:16 pm, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office has been working a barricaded subject accused of Sexual Assault in the area of Chof Trail in Kachina Village. On scene deputies are still trying to confirm if the suspect is in the residence.

Information obtained from the reporting party was the victim along with two other children had removed themselves from the house and made their way to the reporting party’s residence. The reporting party advised that the suspect was the only one in the residence.

After arriving on scene, deputies confirmed the safety of the victim and children who had been in residence. Deputies set up a perimeter around the residence in which the suspect was last seen. At this time no contact has been made with the suspect. The Sheriff’s Office is continuing to attempt to contact the suspect through phone and loudspeaker. The suspect has been identified as Jason Gonnie an 18-year-old Native American male, 5 foot 9 inches tall, slim build, black hair and black eyes.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter has been deployed along with the Northern Arizona Regional Tactical Team. Efforts are ongoing to confirm Gonnie is still in the residence. Due to the ongoing investigations, no further details are available at this time. More information will be made available as the investigation progresses.

Pop-Up Art Show Featuring Drawings and Sketches by Inmates of the Coconino County Jail

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – Artistic drawings and sketches created by individuals while they were in-custody at the Coconino County Jail will be on display at the Exodus Pop-Up Art Show at the Coconino Center for the Arts, located at 2300 N Fort Valley Rd, Flagstaff, Arizona. The opening reception will be Friday, January 24 from 6 – 8 pm with an entrance fee of $5 at the door. The art can also be viewed Saturday, January 25 and Sunday January 26 from 11 am – 5 pm.

This is the second official Exodus Art Show highlighting artistic pieces from individuals who participated in the Exodus program at the Coconino County Jail. The first show was held in 2016 at a Firecreek Coffee and recently pieces of inmate art also were displayed at the Art in Action exhibit at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany.

The Coconino County Detention Facility Exodus program is an in-custody substance abuse treatment program for men and women detained at the jail. The Exodus Program incorporates parenting classes, health education, creative writing, expressive art classes, stress management training and other life skills lessons that are provided by staff and outside agencies.

Goals of the Exodus Program include:

  • Reduce the impact substance abuse has on our community.
  • Provide therapeutic and educational services to assist addicted inmates in making the decision to avoid future alcohol or drug consumption.
  • Enhance inmates’ ability to make positive changes in their lives.
  • Strengthen families, reduce recidivism and provide a proactive response to alcohol and substance abuse related crimes.

Many of the inmates housed in our facility have much to give and share with the community, and art can be part of the recovery and re-entry process. The Sheriff’s Office hopes this art display will enlighten community members as to the talent and abilities of many of our inmates, as well as the positive impact of the Exodus program on the lives of people in our community.

Arrest made in in Cosnino neighborhood death

Posted on by

Casey Dark – CCSO booking photo

FLAGSTAFF – Detectives with the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office continue to investigate the death of 45 year old Cosnino resident, Joshua Dark that occurred on December 26.

Immediately after the incident, Detectives served a search warrant on the residence where the incident occurred and interviewed Joshua’s wife regarding the shooting. Detectives have since interviewed several other witnesses as well.

Detectives presented the case to a Coconino County Grand Jury. The Grand Jury found probable cause to charge the suspect, Dark’s wife, 26 year old Casey Dark with 2nd Degree Murder. An arrest warrant was issued and on January 9, 2020 Casey was arrested without incident and booked into the Coconino County Jail for one count of 2nd Degree Murder. The United States Marshall’s Office assisted in locating and arresting Dark.