Archive for April, 2008
April 30th, 2008, 1:41 pm by Katie McDevitt
A man ran through an apartment complex knocking on doors and screaming for help last week as two men chased him while firing shots from a shotgun and handgun.
On Friday, police arrested James Dockins, 20, of Mesa on suspicion of aggravated assault and unlawful discharge of a firearm and Lorenzo Taylor, 18, of Laveen on suspicion of aggravated assault.
According to court records, the men began chasing a man they thought had burglarized their residence. Dockins is suspected of discharging a round at the victim with his rifle and then using Taylor’s handgun to shoot the man in the face. The bullet grazed the man’s right cheek and ear before striking a stucco wall and landing inside of a nearby apartment.
After the shooting, the two men ran from the scene and drove away, but were later captured.
Court records show the victim was taken to a local hospital and was able to identify Dockins in a photo lineup. Taylor admitted to police that he had committed a crime.
Posted in: Mesa | Post a Comment »
April 30th, 2008, 9:32 am by davidbiscobing
Police arrested a 47-year-old Gilbert woman Tuesday evening who’s suspected of driving drunk, crashing into a motorcyclist and driving away.
Witnesses told officers that Anne Murphy Smith hit the motorcyclist at Val Vista and Williams Field roads just after 6 p.m., police said.
After she drove away, witnesses followed her and called police, who caught up with her near Lindsay and Williams Field roads.
Smith was booked on suspicion of aggravated assault, DUI and leaving the scene of an injury accident.
The motorcyclist suffered minor injuries and was also arrested for driving with a suspended license.
Posted in: Gilbert | Post a Comment »
April 29th, 2008, 5:08 pm by davidbiscobing
A 53-year-old woman walking to a Gilbert bank on Monday morning was robbed by a man riding a skateboard.
The suspect rode up to the woman near Cooper and Baseline roads just after 10 a.m. when he assaulted her and took her deposit.
Police immediately searched the area, but the man evaded officers.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Gilbert police (480) 503-6500.
Posted in: Gilbert | Post a Comment »
April 29th, 2008, 2:38 pm by Katie McDevitt
A man was forced to dodge bullets Monday after he followed a group of men who he spotted trying to break into his car.
Police said the man yelled at the burglars after he spotted them at 1711 S. Extension Road about 10:45 p.m. After the men ran away, they got into a red four-door Acura Integra or Honda sedan and drove off.
The man called police and followed the burglars, when someone riding in the passenger seat fired a shot out the window near Country Club Drive and Baseline Road. The shot struck the man’s car on the passenger side, but he continued following the car and more shots were fired.
Police weren’t able to locate the suspects and an investigation is ongoing.
Posted in: Mesa | 1 Comment »
April 29th, 2008, 2:04 pm by Gary Grado
Chandler police turned over eight suspected illegal immigrants Monday to federal agents after they fled from a traffic stop.
According to detective David Ramer, Chandler police spokesman, an officer stopped a white Toyota at 10:46 p.m. on northbound Arizona Avenue at Riggs Road.
As the officer walked towards the car, the driver sped off for about 25 feet and then stopped, letting off the passengers who ran into a nearby alfalfa field.
The officer caught three of the suspects immediately and then called in other officers to set up a perimeter and called in the Mesa police helicopter.
Ramer said there may have been nine people in the vehicle.
Agents with the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement were on scene within an hour to take custody of the suspects.
Posted in: Chandler | 1 Comment »
April 29th, 2008, 12:30 pm by Mike Branom
A serial hit-and-run driver has been taken off the Valley roads, the Arizona Department of Public Safety said Tuesday.
Rosendo Duenas, 46, of Phoenix is accused of 10 collisions that caused damage estimated at more than $100,000. Half of the alleged incidents took place in Phoenix, while the other five were on the Valley’s freeway system.
One of the highway crashes was a serious injury collision with a motorcycle, DPS said.
Duenas was arrested Saturday night in Tempe following a hit-and-run on Loop 202 near Rural Road. As the Tempe police officer processed him for a suspected DUI, it was learned the Ford Expedition driven by Duenas was a suspect vehicle in the previous crashes.
Duenas was booked on 12 counts of endangerment, aggravated assault and Super DUI.
Posted in: Arizona • Maricopa County • Phoenix • Tempe | 3 Comments »
April 28th, 2008, 10:19 pm by Eddi Trevizo
Mesa fire authorities were battling flames after a car fire spread and ignited a nearby home.
According to authorities who were still on scene fighting the flames at 1922 E. 1st Ave. , the cause of the fire was still unknown late Monday night.
Posted in: Mesa | Post a Comment »
April 28th, 2008, 12:20 pm by Katie McDevitt
Two people were nearly stabbed Sunday after refusing to hand over money to a knife-wielding robber.
Police said two people were inside their vehicle in the parking lot of an apartment complex, located at 1620 W. Southern Avenue, about 10:30 p.m. when a man tried to rob them. When the pair refused to turn over their money, the robber tried to stab them, but they drove off and were unharmed, police said.
The pair gave a description to police officers, who located a suspect a short distance away.
Police said the suspect, Matthew Lewis, 22, refused to listen to police commands and was taken into custody after being zapped with a Taser. Also, police said Lewis kicked an officer in the chest.
Police said the victims identified Lewis in a photo lineup and he was booked on suspicion of attempted armed robbery, aggravated assault on a police officer and possession of marijuana.
Posted in: Mesa | 1 Comment »
April 28th, 2008, 12:08 pm by Katie McDevitt
Police nabbed three kids in connection with breaking into and burglarizing a church Saturday.
Mesa police officers were called to a retail center near Velda Rose United Methodist Church, 5540 E. Main Street, about 10: 15 p.m. after people were seen on the top of the roof of some businesses.
Police chased down and arrested three kids who were seen on the roof. The Tribune is withholding their names because they are minors.
Following the arrests, police discovered the church had been burglarized and damaged heavily inside. The kids admitted to damaging and breaking into the church and climbing onto the roof of the nearby retail stores, police said.
The kids were arrested on suspicion of burglary, aggravated criminal damage and criminal trespass.
Posted in: Mesa | 3 Comments »
April 28th, 2008, 10:28 am by Gary Grado
Two Mesa men settled a disagreement by agreeing to a fist fight, and one of them wound up in the hospital when he collapsed after the bout was over.
Joseph Atkins and Billy Yoachum got into an argument Friday about 3:40 p.m. at 10801 E. Grove St. over a mess Yoachum’s dogs had made on Atkins’ patio, according to Mesa police.
The property owner tried to mediate the dispute, but Atkins challenged Yoachum to a fight and the two agreed to “settle the issue like men,” a police summary states.
They fought in a common area of the property and stopped immediately when Atkins said he had enough.
Atkins returned to his residence and collapsed.
He was breathing but not alert when he was taken to the hospital.
Detective Steve Berry, Mesa police spokesman, said his medical condition and injuries were not considered to be life threatening.
Posted in: Mesa | 3 Comments »
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