Cop Shop

Mesa police arrested a 21-year-old man who accidently shot his girlfriend during quick draw practice on Friday.
Amber Sungleton, 23, was sleeping in her bed at 3:17 a.m. in a hotel room at 5440 E. Main St. as Joseph Simpson practiced drawing his loaded handgun from his waistband.
The gun fired when he drew it with his finger on the trigger.
The woman was shot in her left lower abdomen, but her wound was not considered life threatening, according to detective Steve Berry, Mesa police spokesman.
Simpson called 911 and officers booked him on suspicion of aggravated assault.

Ryan Gabrielson, Tribune

A 28-year-old Scottsdale woman was attacked shortly before midnight Saturday at the front gate of her condominium complex.
The victim told Scottsdale police that a Hispanic male, 5 feet 8 inches tall with wavy dark hair, tackled her to the ground as she walked home from the Hotel Indigo, 4415 N. Civic Center Plaza. While on the ground, the suspect groped the woman under her shirt until she broke free and ran to her unit within the Scottsdale Springs Condominiums, 777 E. Main Street.
The suspect was seen running north on Main Street; he remains on the loose.

An older model Ford pickup truck carrying at least 50 to 60 people crashed around 5:30 a.m. Sunday, leaving four people dead.  After the truck rolled over, 20 to 30 fled the scene, including the driver, and have not been found, police say.

Pinal County sheriff’s office spokeswoman Vanessa White said the truck did not strike any other vehicles as it crashed in a remote area just south of Arizona City near the intersection of Sagittarius and Aries Drives.

No identities have been released for the people riding in the truck, White said. The four fatalities, all males, were found dead on the scene, while 18 others were flown to Tucson and Phoenix area hospitals and nine were taken by ambulance for their injuries.

White says the investigators believe alcohol, speed and inattention could all be possible factors in the crash. Police are also looking into the immigration status of the group.

Two brothers from Chandler were each sentenced to four years in federal prison for conspiring to sell large amounts of marijuana and money laundering.
According to the U.S. Attorney for Arizona, Alfredo Santillan, 32, and his brother Juan Santillan, 33, were going to sell 997 kilograms of marijuana that were seized by government agents from a tractor-trailer in February 2005.
Alfredo Santillan also admitted in court that he laundered proceeds from drug sales and bought a Gilbert home, a $39,000 car and $13,600 motorcycle.
Alfredo Santillan was sentenced Monday and his brother was sentenced March 24.

Scottsdale police arrested a student suspected of pushing a school staff member who is now in the hospital in critical condition.

According to reports, the woman collapsed and was not breathing. A school nurse administered CPR and the woman was transported to Scottsdale Osborn Healthcare, where she is still in critical condition as of late Friday.

The victim has a history of health problems including seizures, and authorities are unsure if the woman’s critical condition is due to her previous medical problems. The student was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault on the victim and another staff member, authorities said.The investigation is still ongoing

Reckless driving and failure to appear in court landed one woman in jail after speed enforcement cameras captured her 17 times.

 Unikki McMillian, 30, a resident of Glendale was arrested by DPS officials after photo enforcement cameras caught her numerous times driving at criminal speeds along the State Route 101 within Scottsdale city limits.

Authorities said that McMillian failed to appear in court, even after several notices were sent to her residence address. During the investigation in which authorities prepared to arrest McMillian, authorities discovered that her driver’s license was in suspension as a result of each of the photo enforcement violations.

McMillian faces numerous charges including 17 counts of driving with a suspended license; 7 counts of criminal speed; and 3 counts of endangerment, said authorities.

Mesa police are looking for a woman they say attacked her ex-husband with pruning shears and took her young daughters.

Anna D. Ellis, 38, has been missing along with her two daughters since 9:30 a.m. Thursday, according to police. She is suspected of entering her ex-husband’s home and attacking him. Police say Ellis then took her two girls out of school. The three have not been seen since.

Ellis is described as white with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a dark sweatshirt, blue jeans and black gloves. She is about five feet and eleven inches tall and weighs about 115 pounds.

Ellis is believed to be driving a black 2008 Honda Pilot with an Arizona license plate 771VRH.

The girls are 11 and 9 years old.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Mesa police at (480) 644-2211 or your local law enforcement agency.

A pregnant woman was flown to the hospital Thursday afternoon after her vehicle rolled over during a crash in Gilbert.
The crash occurred at Warner Road and Val Vista Drive about 1 p.m. Further information wasn’t available
The woman did not suffer life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital as a precaution, authorities said.

A two-car crash at a Gilbert intersection Wednesday evening sent a 9-year-old boy too the hospital with a broken leg.
The two vehicles collided at Val Vista Drive and Warner Road about 5 p.m. when a pickup truck turning left was hit by a car traveling through the intersection.
The boy was flown to a hospital. Police did not release who is at fault in the crash.

Pinal County Sheriff’s deputies are searching for an armed man who attempted to rob a San Tan grocery store Wednesday night.
The suspect entered Fry’s Marketplace, 542 E. Hunt Highway, carrying a long gun at about 11 p.m., sheriff’s officials said.
The store manager refused to give the suspect money or the safe security code.
The suspect then took the manager’s keys and attempted to open drawers and cabinets in the customer service area.
However, the suspect did not get away with any money, and no employees or customers were injured.
The suspect is described as black, about 6 feet tall, wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses.
Authorities said the suspect may have driven off in a purple or maroon Chrysler PT Cruiser with a Washington license plate.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at (520) 866-5195.