Cop Shop

A Phoenix tax preparer has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of preparing a false return.

Rosario M. Hernandez, 43, faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine when she is sentenced in January.

According to prosecutors, Hernandez admitted to defrauding the Internal Revenue Service out of $106,000 caused by false deductions and expenses in 31 individual income tax returns.

The returns were prepared in 2003-04 at her business, Rosario’s Tax and Notary Service.

A night of comedy put on by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office raised $75,000 for the care of animals suspected of being abused.

The Oct. 17 event was held at the Tempe Improv, with proceeds going toward a MASH unit that currently is housing about 200 dogs, cats, horses, pigs and turtles.

The animals are taken from owners under investigation for abuse, and are cared for by county jail inmates.

Phoenix police are looking for a man suspected in two assaults.

In the first incident, which took place early Friday morning, a woman was punched then stabbed in the ribs as she walked in an apartment complex at 7151 W. Indian School Road.

About five minutes later at a nearby apartment complex, 7007 W. Indian School Road, a second woman was stabbed in the thigh and had her purse stolen.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, 27-40 years of age; weighing 170-180 pounds; a Spanish speaker; wearing basketball-type shorts and a gray shirt with blue trim. He spoke Spanish only in both incidents.

Anyone with information on the suspect, or anyone who may have witnessed either attack, is asked to call Silent Witness at 602-261-8600.

Tempe police are hosting a Halloween DUI Task Force on Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. The task force will be headquartered at the Tempe Police Department’s Apache Boulevard substation, 1855 E. Apache Boulevard. Officers will be on the lookout for impaired drivers.Police are reminding the public to drink responsibly and to designate sober drivers or use public transportation while even the slightest bit intoxicated.

A Phoenix manufacturer of aluminum parts for the defense, aerospace and aircraft industries will pay a $25,000 fine for violations of Arizona’s Hazardous Waste Management Act.

Jet Products Company, 2600 W. Quail Ave., illegally stored and disposed of hazardous wastes, according to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

The violations were discovered by ADEQ inspectors during an inspection in December 2005.

Three men robbed a downtown Mesa sandwich shop at gunpoint Saturday.According to a Mesa police summary of the incident, a black male and two Hispanic males entered the Blimpies at 12 N. Center St. about 4 p.m.

The passenger of a 1995 Dodge pickup truck suffered spine and ankle fractures in a wreck Sunday.

Twenty-eight people suspected of driving under the influence were arrested during a weekend crackdown on East Valley highways.

Officers from the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the DUI Enforcement Unit conducted patrols in an effort to detect impaired driving after Halloween parties on Friday and Saturday nights.

DPS Sgt. William Duff said authorities pulled over 98 vehicles. He said a command center was set up south of McKellips Road on Scottsdale Road.

There were six arrests for extreme DUI, nine arrests for aggravated DUI, 13 misdemeanor DUI arrests, five arrests of minors in possession of alcohol and 23 other citations.

The average blood alcohol content of those arrested was 0.158, said Duff.

Writer Yelena Galibov contributed to this blog.

An Ahwatukee Foothills driver was carjacked by three armed men between the ages of 25 and 30 Saturday around 11:54 a.m. near the victim’s apartment, Phoenix police said.

A gold 2000 Chrysler 300 was taken from the victim at gunpoint.

The victim stopped at a Chevron store and then headed north on 50th Street, where he was boxed in by a dark blue Chevy Impala and a tan Toyota Corolla near Chandler Boulevard.

 “The victim believes he was followed from the gas station to his apartment block,” Lt. Robert Jones said.

No one was injured during the incident, Jones said.  The victim reported the incident.  His car has not been recovered, police said. 

Writer Heidi Curiel contributed to this blog.

A 51-year-old man was reported missing Sunday morning in the Seven Springs area,  said Capt. Paul Chagolla, a spokesman for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

The man’s all-terrain vehicle was found near where Sycamore Creek and the Verde River converge, in a remote area east of Scottsdale. Police did not release the name of the missing man.

Authorities said the ATV likely had a mechanical failure.

“We are conducting a search operation, including the use of our helicopter,” Chagolla said.

Deputies began the search Sunday. The man has been missing since 9 p.m. Saturday.

Writer Shannon Doyle contributed to this blog.