Tag Archives: Flagstaff

Business as usual for Sheriff’s deputies.

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FLAGSTAFF—Coconino County Sheriff’s deputies were busy Tuesday following a DUI and finding $23K of marijuana in a tire.

On Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at about 6:30 pm Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to reports of a blue Chevy pickup driving recklessly on Silver Saddle Road in the Doney Park area. Upon their arrival Deputies found three vehicles had been struck by the suspect vehicle as it traveled on Silver Saddle Road. An off duty Flagstaff Police Officer witnessed the collisions and followed the vehicle to a residence on Stardust Trail. The off duty officer waited for deputies to arrive and assisted with pointing out the Chevy truck and the driver involved in the collisions. Deputies made contact with the driver at the residence, observed him and detected physical indicators of impairment.

Deputies arrested 39 year old Jimmy Curley, Jr. of Flagstaff, Arizona for DUI and transported him to the Coconino County Detention Facility for additional DUI testing. During the investigation deputies discovered Curley had been arrested for DUI on two previous occasions by the Sheriff’s Deputies since April 30, 2013. Those cases are still pending court appearances. Curley’s license also was determined to be suspended at the time of Tuesday’s arrest.

Jimmy Curley was booked into the Coconino County Detention Facility for Aggravated Driving Under the Influence, Endangerment, and Leaving the scene of an accident. Curley is currently being held on a $45,000 bond for these charges.

Also on Tuesday, Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies seized 37 pounds of marijuana out of a tire at a vehicle salvage yard on Leupp Road. The marijuana was discovered after a customer of the U-Pick-It Salvage Yard removed the tire from a pile of scrap tires. While an employee attempted to remove the tire from the rim, they discovered the marijuana between the tire and rim. The employee called the Sheriff’s Office to report the suspicious packages. A total of 12 individually wrapped packages of marijuana were removed from the tire. Investigators are working with salvage yard employees in an attempt to determine which vehicle the tire and wheel were mounted on.

According to officers assigned to the Northern Arizona Metro Street Crimes Task Force, the current average street value for one pound of marijuana in this area is estimated to be about $625.00 which would value the entire load at about $23,125.

If you lost this merchandise, you can call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at 928-774-4523 to claim it.

Two Neighborhood Watch meetings slated for Flagstaff

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FLAGSTAFF—Coconino County Sheriff Bill Pribil and two of the county supervisors are encouraging members of two communities in Flagstaff to attend a Neighborhood Watch meetings in their areas.

Neighborhood Watch is similar to the Block Watch program many people might remember from thirty-years ago. Residents will learn how to observe and report suspicious activity as an effective means of preventing criminal activity.

The first meeting will be June 4 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Summit Fire Station 33 for members of the Timberline and Fernwood communities. The station is located at 6050 Firehouse Lane off of north Highway 89. Sheriff Pribil and members of his staff will join County Supervisor Liz Archuleta at the meeting.

The second meeting for the Doney Park neighborhood will be held on Thursday, June 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Cromer School, 7150 E. Silver Saddle Road. County Supervisor Mandy Metzger will join Sheriff Pribil and his deputies for this meeting.

At the meetings, the Supervisors will also discuss county issues. County Parks and Recreation director Judy Weiss asks input on how to use the $500,917 directed to revitalize the Peaks View County Park at 8805 N. Koch Field in Flagstaff. “We are asking residents what new features or recreational amenities they would like to see in the park,” she is quoted as saying.

Residents can also send input concerning the park by email to parksrec@coconino.az.gov or the County’s Community Voice Website.

Take Precautions to Prevent Hantavirus

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Residents, visitors urged to protect themselves against the Hantavirus

FLAGSTAFF, AZ––As warmer temperatures and wetter weather return to Northern Arizona, so does the threat of Hantavirus, a rare but fatal disease spread by infected rodent droppings.

The Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) reminds the public to take a few precautions when entering and cleaning sheds, garages, campers, cabins, barns and other buildings to protect themselves from Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).

“As preparations for summer activities begin, we want to remind everyone to take the time to use appropriate precautions when entering and cleaning structures and buildings,” said Kimbal Babcock, CCPHSD Interim Chief Health Officer.

HPS is transmitted to people who come into contact with or breathe the urine, droppings and saliva of wild mice, primarily deer mice. The illness starts with fever, headache and muscle aches, and progresses rapidly to severe difficulty in breathing and, in some cases, death.

The last reported case of Hantavirus in Coconino County was reported in 2007, but to prevent HPS, public health officials recommend the following:

Proper clean-up methods:

  • Open all door and windows, leave them open for 30 minutes before cleaning.
  • Do not stir up dust by vacuuming, sweeping, or any other means.
  • When rodent droppings or nests are found in and around the home, spray them liberally with a household disinfectant and allow them to soak for at least 15 minutes. Any rodent droppings and rodent nests should be sprayed with a pesticide to kill fleas before disinfecting or disposing the carcasses.
  • After disinfecting, wear rubber gloves and clean up the droppings with disposable materials such as paper towels, rags or disposable mop heads.
  • Seal all materials, droppings or nests in double plastic bags and dispose of them in the trash.

Rodent-proof your home:

  • Prevent rodents from entering the home by plugging or sealing all holes and gaps to the outside greater than 1/4-inch in diameter. Use steel wool, thick wire screen, metal flashing or cement to seal holes.
  • Eliminate or reduce rodent shelter around the home by removing outdoor junk and clutter, and by moving woodpiles, lumber, hay bales etc., as far away from the house as possible.
  • Do not make food easily available to rodents. Do not leave pet food in dishes. Dispose of garbage in trash cans with tight-fitting lids.

Certain forms of outdoor recreation, such as camping and hiking, can pose a risk for Hantavirus exposure.

  • A few precautions should be taken, including:
  • Campers should not pitch tents or place sleeping bags in close proximity to rodent nests, burrows, or in areas of heavy rodent activity.
  • Before use, properly clean tents and other camping gear that have been stored where rodents may have had access.
  • If possible, do not sleep on the bare ground and zip tents closed to keep animals out.
  • Use only bottled water or water that has been disinfected by filtration, boiling, chlorination, or iodination for drinking, cooking, washing dishes and brushing teeth.

Flagstaff plane crash victims identified; second crash out of Page

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FLAGSTAFF, PAGE—The victims of the plane that crashed departing Pulliam Airport in Flagstaff yesterday have been tentatively identified as 59-year old Matthew Sulivan Mezger of Sacramento, California and his 54-year old wife Mary Patricia Hughes.

The cause of the crash of the Beechcraft 336 single engine plane is still being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The investigation by the Coconino County Sheriff’s department in cooperation with other agencies indicates that the couple spent the weekend in Flagstaff and flew out of Pulliam airport on Tuesday intending to fly to Bryce Canyon, Utah. The plane crashed at about 11:45 in the Mountainaire neighborhood of Flagstaff.

The Sheriff’s office also investigated a plane crash out of Page Tuesday at 4 p.m.

The dispatcher of the Page Police Department received a cell phone call from the passengers of a downed aircraft 5 miles east of the Page Airport in the vicinity of the Navajo Generating Station.

The Sheriff’s Department, Navajo Police Department and Page Fire Department responded and located a privately-owned, twin engine place out of Nevada.

The plane had left New Orleans heading to Nevada with planned fuel stops in Texas and Page, Arizona. According to statements, the fuel supply expired approximately 5 miles prior to the Page Airport.

The passengers reported only minor injuries to the pilot.

Investigation of the plane crash will be conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Multiple Agencies Respond to Aircraft Crash Killing Two People

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Flagstaff, AZ –– Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a call for an airplane crash near the community of Mountainaire. The call came into the 911 Dispatch Center at approximately 11:45 am on 5/28/13 from a citizen in the area who witnessed the crash and fire. Before arrival of emergency responders, several citizens attempted to extinguish the flames and attend to the occupants. Two occupants of the plane are reported deceased on scene.

The plane is reported to be a small single engine plane, privately owned, and with a registration out of California. The plane had attempted take off out of the Pullium Airport in Flagstaff, AZ. The crash occurred south of the airport and within a hundred feet of residential structures in the Mountainaire community near the end of Tonawanda Rd.

Fire crews of the Highlands Fire Department and the Bear Jaw Wildland Fire Crew responded to the crash as well as a wildland fire ignited by the crash. The wildland fire was contained at approximately ¼ acre. Several trees were in the path of the plane. No structures were damaged by the crash or the wildland fire.

Multiple citizens as well as other agencies assisted the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office in the response including Department of Public Safety Officers, DPS Ranger helicopter crew, US Forest Service Law Enforcement, US Forest Service wildland fire crews, Highlands Fire Department, Bear Jaw Wildland Fire Crew, and Guardian Medical Transport.

The identity of the occupants is still being determined and will not be released until notification of next of kin. Investigation of the plane crash will be conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Coconino Sheriff Deputies make arrest in Freeway Fire

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Flagstaff, AZ—Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies have arrested twenty five year-old James Duncan an individual who is currently in transit and who is originally from Mississippi, for one count of Reckless Burning a Class One Misdemeanor. Investigators believe Mr. Duncan was responsible for a one acre fire named the Freeway Fire.

On Thursday, May 24, 2013 at about 1122 am the Sheriff’s Office received a call from dispatchers assigned to the Northern District of the Arizona Department of Public Safety regarding a hitch hiker who was believed to have stated the Freeway Fire.

The Freeway Fire was a one-acre fire on the north side of I-40 just west of the Bellemont rest stop.

According to the DPS Dispatcher one of their Officers had visual contact with a hitchhiker who matched the description of an individual who was seen smoking in the area where a wild land fire ignited. DPS dispatchers received a cellular phone call from a passing motorist who observed the suspect sitting on a log on the shoulder of the West bound lanes of Interstate Highway I-40 in the area of Mile-Post 181 and smoking a lit cigarette.

When the Deputy arrived he and the DPS Officer made contact with the individual. The caller returned to the area and identified the subject as the same person he observed sitting on the log and smoking the cigarette. During an interview with the subject he admitted to sitting on the log and smoking a cigarette but denied causing the fire. United States Forest Service Firefighters identified the point of origin of the Freeway Fire to be the log where Duncan was seated or in very close proximity to the log.

James Duncan was arrested for one count of Reckless Burning and transported to the Coconino County Detention Facility located in Flagstaff, Arizona.

High winds and dry conditions have caused red flag conditions in Coconino causing fire restrictions to be put in place in the Kaibab and Coconino forests starting today.

Coconino and Kaibab National forests implement fire restrictions Wednesday.

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Santa Fe reservoir dropping rapidly. - NAG 05/17

Santa Fe reservoir dropping rapidly. – NAG 05/17

WILLIAMS—While the Santa Fe reservoir may look full from the dam side, a look at the other end tells a different story. Santa Fe and Buckskinner reservoirs filled up after the snow fall of the winter, but Kaibab and Dogtown lakes did not fill even close to capacity. With spring only half over, Santa Fe is already rapidly dropping to low-level.

This situation, of course, leads to the inevitable fire restrictions in the Coconino and Kaibab forests. The forest service will be implementing fire restrictions starting Wednesday, the 22nd. The dry, warm, windy conditions forecast over the Memorial Day weekend are likely to cause Red Flag warning conditions.

Under the restrictions, fires, campfires, charcoal, coal and wood stoves are allowed in developed campgrounds only. The restrictions also limit smoking to within enclosed vehicles or buildings or in developed campgrounds. Using a device that is solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off is allowed in areas that are clear of flammable materials.

Visitors to the area are reminded that they are subject to heavy fines or even arrest for ejecting cigarette butts from a vehicle and are encouraged to use the car ash tray. The Williams Visitors Center offers pocket ash trays that smokers can carry with them in town, but they are not authorized for use in the forest as a substitute for common sense.

Fire restrictions will be in effect until the area receives significant precipitation. That is not likely to occur unless the area receives heavy monsoon rains which usually occur around the beginning of July.

Coconino Rises for County’s First Stand Down May 17-18

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CC Stand Down 2013 - update

Click on image for larger view.

Event aids homeless, at-risk veterans and their families with services

FLAGSTAFF—Coconino County, in conjunction with area veteran’s advocate groups, will host the First Annual High Country Stand Down event May 17 to 18 to connect area homeless veterans and their families with the services they need.

From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, May 17, County-area homeless and at-risk veterans will have access to a host of services aimed at helping those who served our country. The Stand Down continues from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 18, with breakfast and the Armed Forces Day Parade in Downtown Flagstaff.

“It is an honor to be a part of Coconino County’s first veterans stand down,” said District 4 County Supervisor Mandy Metzger, who convened the event. “Providing critical and basic services is the very least we should be doing for those who have bravely safeguarded our freedoms, but have become homeless or are at-risk of becoming homeless.”

“The High Country Stand Down is the first of what we hope becomes an annual tradition to continue creating positive impacts for veterans and their family’s within our communities. No veteran will be turned away,” Metzger added.

The event May 17 event will be held at the Flagstaff Armory at 320 N. Thorpe Road. During this event, veterans will be offered free dental exams, haircuts, clothing, hygiene kits and showers or they can receive ID assistance, Veteran’s Affairs healthcare and housing information and much more. That evening, veterans will also be offered a bed to sleep indoors and a hot dinner.

On May 18, veterans will convene for breakfast at the American Legion Post 3 at 204 W. Birch Ave. in Flagstaff. At 11 a.m. they can attend the Armed Forces Day Parade. The veteran’s services fair will continue throughout the day until 5 p.m.

“Our veterans had the courage to rise and serve when our nation called on them. It’s only fitting that we rise to aid them in their time of need,” said John Davidson, who helped coordinate the event. “It’s been a great privilege to work with Coconino County in a unified effort to host this event. Our service groups, Native American communities, statewide organizations and other partners stepped up to help our veterans.”

In addition to Coconino County, the event is a collaboration among multiple organizations, including the Coconino County Courts, County Public Health Services District, the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, American Legion Post 3, Salvation Army, Arizona Stand Down, Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness, Madison Street Veterans Association, US Veterans Administration, Arizona Department of Veterans Services, United for Change, US Veterans Association and many others.

County Attorney announces citizen prosecutor academy

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FLAGSTAFF—The County Attorney has announced the next no-cost Citizen Prosecutor Academy. The academy will be held Friday, June 7, 2013 from 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

This could be the start to your legal career. However if you plan to pursue a career in this area you can expect a little more schooling at a little more cost. This course gives citizens an idea of how the court system works in general terms. “Participants will gain a behind-the-scenes understanding of real-world prosecution and the responsibilities of the Coconino County Attorney’s Office,” the press release states. These classes fill up quickly so it is recommended that you sign up soon if you are interested.

Tami Suchowiejko, coordinator for the academy at the County Attorney’s office, said that they prefer participants be over 18-years of age because of the graphic nature of some of the content of the course.

“We’re excited to continue our academy which brings the community into the office to share information, exchange ideas, and facilitate a better understanding of how the County Attorney’s Office serves the public. It’s also a lot of fun”, said County Attorney Rozema.

The academy presenters include various experts from the Coconino County Attorney’s Office as well as other professionals from the criminal justice system. Participants will learn how criminal cases are handled from intake/grand jury through trial. They can also expect presentations from the County Medical Examiner and a Criminalist from the Department of Public Safety Crime Lab.

To get an idea of what the course entails, you can see the previous academy agenda. If you are interested in participating, you can download an application to fax to (928) 679-8201 or mail to Coconino County Attorney’s Office, 110 E. Cherry Avenue, Flagstaff, AZ 86001.

The County Attorney’s office also holds an advanced version of the academy for graduates of this course.

Arizona Firearms and Collectibles gun show this weekend in Flagstaff

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FLAGSTAFF—The Arizona Collectibles and Firearms gun show will be held this Saturday and Sunday the 18th and 19th at the Coconino County Fairgrounds on Ft. Tuthill loop. The show times are from 9 am to 5 pm and 9 am to 4 pm respectively. The cost to enter the show is $7 for one day and $10 for both days. Look for a $2 discount coupon. Gun show dealers and purchasers are reminded that they are obligated to follow all applicable laws.