Tag Archives: Flagstaff

Investigation of Homicide in Doney Park

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – Sheriff’s deputies respond to a domestic violence call at about 7 a.m. yesterday. A reporting party notified the Sheriff’s department that a male fled the scene.

The deputies found 35-year-old Crystal L. Morgan of Doney Park on the scene with several stab wounds. Medical assistance was summoned and she was pronounced dead on the scene.

Deputies sought 38-year-old Timothy M. Duran, Morgan’s ex-husband. The Sheriff’s department received information that the vehicle of the suspect was headed southbound on I-17. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office and Arizona Department of Public Safety assisted Coconino in stopping the vehicle on the I-17 at about 9:30.

Duran was booked into into the Coconino County Detention Facility on charges of First-Degree Homicide and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

Crystal Morgan was transported to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office which will conduct an autopsy and further investigation to determine cause of death. The investigation is on-going.

Recent SAR Operation Locates One Alive and One Deceased

Posted on by

BLUE RIDGE, AZ – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office recently conducted a search and rescue operation over a five-day period for two lost persons east of the Hutch Mountain area. One person was located alive (a 35-year-old female of Winslow, AZ), and the other person was located deceased (38-year-old Ryan Long of Leupp, AZ).

On Thursday, March 7 the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a female who was only gave her name before the call disconnected. The 911 call center was unable to get any location information from the dropped call or determine what the caller was trying to report. Later, the 911 center received a call from the mother of the initial caller, who was able to provide more information.

The mother’s call came in around 5:30 pm on March 7. The woman requested assistance in locating her lost daughter and male friend. The mother explained she received a call from her daughter around 11:00 am that morning. The only information provided by the daughter was that she and her friend (Ryan Long) left Meteor Crater that morning and the vehicle they were driving had become stuck and disabled. The daughter told her mother she could see a “lake” and requested her mother pick them up. The mother drove to the Lake Mary and Mormon Lake area south of Flagstaff to look for her daughter, and she called the Sheriff’s Office after she could not find them. The mother was not certain her daughter and friend were in the Lake Mary area but had driven there based off the statement her daughter made about seeing a lake.

A Sheriff’s Deputy called Ryan Long’s cell phone and spoke with him to try to get additional information about their location and situation. Long was uncooperative, providing little information and hung up on the deputy. The Sheriff’s Office made repeated attempts to re-contact the missing people on their cell phone, but the cell phone had been turned off. Through the investigation, deputies learned that Long may have a dislike of law enforcement.

A Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Coordinator contacted Long’s cellular provider in an attempt to determine the location of Long and the female who were reported missing. Search and Rescue initially received two possible locations of cell towers the phone had accessed, one was a tower near Strawberry, AZ and the other was a tower in the Blue Ridge area off State Route 87. The cell tower information was inconsistent with other information gathered and did not help in narrowing the search area. No search operations were conducted that night.

On Friday, March 8 the Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Coordinator continued the investigation with the cellular provider and families of the two missing persons. Deputies searched the roads that were accessible south and east of Meteor Crater, but did not locate the woman, Long or their vehicle. Deputies received information that Long believed he may have an arrest warrant and would likely avoid law enforcement.

New information from the cellular provider about the last activity from Long’s cell phone was obtained. The information still had many inconsistencies showing possible locations ranging from the top of the Mogollon Rim to south of Mormon Lake. However, some of the new location information showed consistency in cell phone activity in and around an area known as “Bargaman Park” near Happy Jack, AZ. This area is approximately 15 miles south of Mormon Lake and on the east side of Lake Mary Road.

The Sheriff’s Office coordinated search and rescue efforts and received assistance from several other agencies. Deputies and a fire crew from the Coconino National Forest Mogollon Ranger District responded to the area of Bargaman Park and began a search of the roads. Search efforts were severely hindered by deep snow, extremely muddy conditions, and an incoming storm that was producing intermittent precipitation and a heavy, low cloud ceiling. Travel in the area could only be accomplished using vehicles outfitted with specialty tracks. The storm and cloud cover prevented the use of a helicopter or airplane.

Around 3:00 pm, the Coconino National Forest crew located the lost female alive and suffering mild hypothermia. She was found on a forest road about 4.6 miles north of Bargaman Park. She was transported out of the forest to Lake Mary Road by a tracked vehicle. A ground ambulance then transported her to Flagstaff Medical Center where she was treated and released. The rescued woman was unfamiliar with the area and not able to provide much information about the route she and Long had travelled.

Throughout the day, Search and Rescue was in communication with the National Weather Service (NWS) staff in Bellemont. On Friday afternoon, searchers received word from the NWS that there was an expected break in the cloud cover that might allow for a flight over the area. The Arizona Department Public Safety helicopter from the Central Air Rescue Unit based in Phoenix, AZ was able to respond and conducted about 40 minutes of searching by air before the storm forced them out of the area. Neither Long or his vehicle were located at that time.

The search was continued on Saturday, March 9 by teams on the ground supported by air operations. Arizona Game and Fish Department had a fixed-wing flight scheduled that day and assisted by flying the area. Neither Long or the vehicle were located at that time.

The search was continued on Sunday, March 10 by teams on the ground supported by air operations. The Department of Public Safety helicopter from Central Air Rescue Unit based in Phoenix searched by air. The air rescue team located Long’s truck stuck in the mud on a closed forest road approximately 4.8 miles north east of Bargaman Park and approximately 3.6 miles east of where the other missing person had been found. Searchers were unable to locate Long.

The search was continued on Monday March 11, 2019. The ground search was again aided by the DPS Northern Air Rescue Unit. Due to impassible conditions on the ground, ground searchers were transported by helicopter to the location of Long’s truck to search by foot.

Sheriff’s deputies and Search and Rescue volunteers located Long’s tracks in the intermittent snow patches south east of where the woman had been located on Friday. Searchers were able to track Long and found him deceased around 2:15 pm. His body was found about two miles south east of where the woman had been rescued. Evidence of Long’s foot prints indicated he had tried to avoid being tracked by staying off snow and the roads. His body was found approximately 30 yards off a two-track forest road. Deputies believed the two had traveled south from Meteor Crater, through the Chavez Pass area, then west on closed forest roads to the location they became stuck several miles east of Hutch Mountain.

There are no signs of foul play and it appears Long may have died of exposure. Deputies and detectives are continuing the investigation. The Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

This was a multi-day extended search conducted with the assistance of several agencies. Although the outcome was tragic in the loss of one life, one person was saved. The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Coconino National Forest Fire Crew, the Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue Units and the National Weather Service for their support and participation in this search effort.

Judge Ted S. Reed appointed Presiding Juvenile Court Judge

Posted on by

Judge Ted S. Reed – Coconino County Photo

FLAGSTAFF – The Coconino County Presiding Superior Court Judge Mark R. Moran has appointed Judge Ted S. Reed as the Presiding Juvenile Court Judge.

As Presiding Juvenile Court Judge, Reed will be responsible for the oversight of operations of the Juvenile Court, including Juvenile Detention, Juvenile Probation and Juvenile Programming.

“I am pleased to appoint such a qualified person to such an important position,” said Judge Moran. “Judge Reed’s involvement in the Juvenile Court over the last eight years and his dedication to the staff, kids and families in our Juvenile Justice System made him the top choice for Presiding Juvenile Court Judge.”

In 2011 Judge Reed was appointed as Judge Pro Tempore for the Superior Court, serving Division 6. His caseload included juvenile delinquency, family law and Recovery Court. In 2019, Judge Reed was elected to Division 1 of the Superior Court when Judge Hatch retired.

“I am honored to be selected as the Presiding Juvenile Court Judge and want to acknowledge the tremendous accomplishments of my predecessor and mentor, the Honorable Margaret McCullough,” said Judge Reed. “I look forward to building on the success of our Coconino County Juvenile Justice System and working with a professional and dedicated staff whose focus is on the well-being of the kids. It is truly humbling to receive this opportunity to lead the Juvenile Court in advancing the initiatives we currently are working on and developing further creative solutions to help our kids and families succeed.”

Prior to Judge Reed’s judicial service, he was in private practice in criminal defense and family law and served as a Deputy Coconino County Attorney from 2005-2008.

Flagstaff and Lowell Observatory to celebrate 50th Anniversary of the Lunar Landing

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – On July 20, 1960, a small module—called the Eagle—separated from the Command Module of Apollo 11 to set the first men on the moon. Long before that historic event, astronauts trained around Flagstaff including Meteor Crater approximately 37-miles east of Flagstaff. The City of Flagstaff and Lowell Observatory is celebrating their participation in the event with a year long event known as Lunar Legacy.

The Northern Arizona DX Association (NADXA) is an amateur radio group that will participate in the Lunar Legacy event by having four special events through out the year at places where the astronauts trained; Lowell Observatory, Sunset Crater, Meteor Crater and the Grand Canyon.

The NADXA will be setting up radio equipment to make contact with amateur radio operators around the world to promote the event. Amateur radio operators often set up special events to promote historic events or places. They participate each year in an event celebrating Route 66, known as Route 66 On The Air sponsored by the Citrus Belt Amateur Radio Club

The operation begins with a special event this Saturday, March 16 at 10 a.m. near the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.

To find the event, drive north on highway 89 to Forest Road 776 about 7-miles north of Flagstaff. Look for the OHV cinder hills area sign. Turn right off N89 and drive 3 to 4-miles. On Saturday, the NADXA will post yellow paper signs showing “Special radio event-Lunar Legacy” with arrows on FR 776 starting about 3 miles off of N89.

Go to flagstaffarizona.org to find out more about the Lunar Legacy event.

County Emergency Management to host EOC Open House

Posted on by

The Emergency Operation Center in Flagstaff. – Photo courtesy of Glen Davis, KG7YDJ

FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Emergency Management will host an Open House of the Emergency Management Center (EOC) for the public. The public will be able to tour the nerve center of disaster control for Coconino County and meet with emergency personnel from the various agencies involved.

The EOC activates when a major disaster occurs or during pending storms, such as the recent storm this month. The EOC was activated during the Tinder Fire in Blue Ridge in April of 2018. The fire received international attention. For a portion of the fire, the only communications available was between fire personnel and amateur radio operators of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) operating at the EOC.

It is an opportunity for the public to see what the EOC does during an emergency. It is of a modular design meaning that only portions of the EOC are activated necessary for the emergency. The design is based on a Federal Emergency Management Agency model used across the country.

Coconino County invites the public to bring their families to see what the county does in an emergency. Young people can learn about various volunteer organizations in the community, such as the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service.

The EOC will be open to the public on March 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The EOC is located at 2201 N. Gemini Road in Flagstaff. Refreshments will be available.

Frontiere at Rogers Lake available for special events

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF — Coconino County Parks & Recreation is currently accepting reservations for special events at Frontiere at Rogers Lake. The rental season is May 1 to Septeptember 30, with additional dates by request.

Located adjacent to the Rogers Lake County Natural Area, Frontiere at Rogers Lake has views of the San Francisco Peaks. The site may be reserved for overnight or day use. A reservation may include two buildings, the overall grounds, four RV sites and tent camping areas. To help protect the natural and cultural features, people are encouraged to incorporate sustainable event planning.

For more information on Frontiere at Rogers Lake, visit http://www.FrontiereAtRogersLake.com or call the Coconino County Parks & Recreation Department at 928-679-8000.

Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Snow cat Utilized in Medical Emergency

Posted on by

FOREST LAKES – Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Snow Cat and Search and Rescue volunteers were utilized to transport a patient from Young, AZ to waiting ambulance to a hospital in Payson, AZ.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office had deployed and pre-positioned a Snow Cat with a Search and Rescue crew to Forest Lakes in preparation for the heavy snow fall. The crew and machine were in place to respond to and support the communities of Forest Lakes and Heber in Navajo County.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office coordinated with the Forest Lakes Fire Department over deployment of the Snow Cat. Forest Lakes Fire would support the operation with housing the crew and placing paramedics on the snow cat. Forest Lakes Fire had coordinated with surrounding Fire Departments and ambulance companies of the added resource of the snow cat.

Around 8:00 PM the Pleasant Valley Fire Department and Life Line Ambulance responded to a diabetic emergency in Young, AZ. Life Line Ambulance, knowing they could not make it to the call due to impassable roads, contacted Forest Lakes Fire requesting the snow cat response. The search and rescue crew with Forest Lakes Fire paramedics responded near Young.

The Snow Cat and crew traveled approximately 12 miles towards Young during heavy snow fall with visibility down to 10 feet. They arrived at the patient shortly after 10:00 PM where Pleasant Valley Fire transferred the patient to the Snow Cat and paramedics.

The crew traveled the 12 miles back to State Route 260, then transported the patient another 6 miles to ColCourd Camp Ground in Gila County (between Forest Lakes and Payson) and transferred the patient to Life Line Ambulance. Life Line was able to transport the patient to a hospital in Payson.

The Forest Lakes Fire Department, Pleasant Valley Fire Department, Life Line Ambulance, United States Forest Service Law Enforcement, Gila County Sheriff’s Office and the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office deputy and Search and Rescue volunteers were involved in this operation

The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank all the agencies for their pre-planning, communication, coordination and participation in making this operation and response a success.

Recent Snow Related Rescues – Reminder for Winter Recreation and Travel Preparedness

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF – CCSO Photo

– On February 17 at approximately 2:00 pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an adult skier and an adult snowboarder, both from the Phoenix area, who were lost outside of the Arizona Snowbowl Ski Area boundary. An approximate location was determined from their 911 call which indicated that they were east of Viet Springs at the top of a cliff. Two deputy sheriffs and the Search and Rescue Unit responded to the call and hiked into the pair’s location. Once on scene the skier and snowboarder were provided with some water and snowshoes and then escorted out to the Viet Springs trail head on Snowbowl Road. Neither the skier nor the snowboarder was prepared for conditions outside of the ski area boundary. The area was under a winter storm warning at the time of the incident which made the conditions potentially more hazardous for both the subjects of the search mission and the rescuers. The pair was reunited with family members on Snowbowl Road.

Skiers and snowboarders who plan to exit the ski area and ski or ride in the backcountry are required to have a free Kachina Peaks Winter Backcountry Permit issued by the US Forest Service at their offices or at the Agassiz Lodge Bar on weekend days. Backcountry users need to be aware that the backcountry is not regularly patrolled, and no avalanche mitigation is conducted outside of the ski area boundary. All winter backcountry users should carry equipment for backcountry travel including food, water, navigation equipment, headlamp, emergency shelter material, extra warm clothing, first aid kit, knife or multitool, fire starting kit or backpacking stove, and whistle for signaling. If traveling in avalanche terrain an avalanche transceiver, a backcountry shovel, and an avalanche probe should be carried. A trip itinerary detailing the travel plans should be left with a trusted person.

With the upcoming winter storm, skiers and snowboarders will be tempted to exit the ski area boundary to ski or ride in the backcountry. A large amount of snow over a short period of time presents a potential avalanche hazard. It is best to wait at least a day or two after a heavy winter storm before entering the backcountry. Skiers and riders who plan to enter the backcountry should have avalanche education which can be obtained through the Kachina Peaks Avalanche Center (www.kachinapeaks.org). Additionally, the Kachina Peaks Avalanche Center publishes weekly Snowpack Summaries which discuss the snowpack on the peaks and potential hazards for backcountry travel.

After completing the mission near the Snowbowl, Search and Rescue responded to the Skinner Ridge area east of Tusayan to rescue two stranded motorists and a dog. The motorists, from Minnesota, had been following their vehicle GPS from the Tusayan area to Cameron and the GPS indicated that they should take Forest Road 302 and Forest Road 301A. The forest roads were snow covered and snow removal is not conducted on those roads. As they traveled they slid off of the road and became stuck and unable to free the vehicle. Due to the winter storm affecting the area, conventional vehicles could not access the area. Search and Rescue responded to the location using two tracked vehicles. The motorists and their dog were provided with transportation to Tusayan where they obtained a hotel room.

The Search and Rescue Unit would like to remind motorists to not blindly trust vehicle GPS or smartphone mapping tools when traveling. It is important to pay attention to road signs and road conditions to determine if the route suggested is a practical one. In many cases, especially in the winter, the GPS and smartphone apps do not take into account the weather or road maintenance and many motorists following those apps become lost or stranded due to the conditions.

Seven-mile stretch of Lake Mary Road (FH-3) to close due to snowstorm

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Public Works Department will close a seven-mile stretch of Lake Mary Road, also known as Forest Highway-3 (FH-3), at 4 p.m. today, Feb. 20 due to high winds and drifting snow from a large snowstorm that will impact the area starting tonight.

During this closure traffic will detour along the West Side Mormon Lake Road, which loops Mormon Lake and goes through Mormon Lake Village.

The closure will be in effect at the north entrance of Mormon Lake (near the scenic overlook) to the south entrance of Mormon Lake, which is about 35 miles southeast of Flagstaff. This section of Lake Mary Road will remain closed until weather conditions allow for the County to safely reopen the roadway.

The closure is due to high winds and drifting heavy snow caused by wind. When drifting occurs, visibility becomes limited and there is an increased difficulty for snowplow operators to keep the road clear of snow. To ensure the safety of drivers, they will be detoured along the alternate route through Mormon Lake Village.

A Winter Storm Warning from the National Weather Service is in effect from 11 p.m. Wednesday until 5 p.m. on Friday, February 22. Total accumulations from this storm are forecast to be between 13 and 25 inches of snow around 7,000 feet with locally higher amounts approaching three feet of snow in some areas of the County. County Public Works crews will remain deployed to keep County roadways open and passable.

Snowfall during this storm is expected to be heavy and periods of blowing and drifting snow may lead to whiteout conditions with near zero visibility. Heavy snowfall will create dangerous travel conditions during this storm.

For questions about snow removal operations and related road conditions, please contact the following:

Coconino County: For County maintained roads, please call Public Works at 928-679- 8300 during normal business hours (7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.).

County offices closed in observance of Presidents Day

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF — All Coconino County administrative offices will be closed Monday, Feb. 18 in observance of Presidents Day.

While the administrative offices at the Sheriff’s Office will be closed, Dispatch, Patrol and Detention will be open. Records will be open on Monday Feb. 18, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., with limited staffing. Please dial 9-1-1 for emergencies. For non-emergencies, dial 928-774-4523 to connect with the non-emergency Dispatch number or to leave a message for one of the administrative offices.

In the event of a snow storm or other impactful weather during the holiday, County Public Works crews will be deployed to keep County roadways open and passable.

Coconino County’s parks and natural areas will remain open during the holiday, but administrative offices at Fort Tuthill will be closed and limited staff or services will be available. The Fort Tuthill Bike Park is currently closed. Please do not sled on the Fort Tuthill Bike Park or you will damage the features which were built specifically for cyclists to hone their skills on jumps and flow trails. Drinking water has been turned off at all parks, but bathrooms are still available at Raymond, Peaks View and Sawmill County Parks. Water and bathrooms are available at Louise Yellowman County Park, located in Tuba City.

Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) Animal Management will have an officer on duty Monday, Feb. 18 from 7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Contact the CCPHSD Animal Management office at 928-679-8756, leave a message and an officer will respond.