Archive for December, 2008
December 26th, 2008, 10:52 am by Gary Grado
A 21-year-old shoplifting suspect took a swing at a Mesa cop Thursday and got a blast of electricity and a jail cell in return.
According to Mesa police, the officer was trying to detain Philip Raphael Jr., when Raphael struck him several times in the chest and arms before running away.
The officer fired his Taser at Raphael and arrested him. Also arrested was Christopher Phillips, who was turned over to Scottsdale police on a warrant.
The incident began at 3:50 p.m. when someone at Walgreens at 8th Avenue and Alma School Road reported that two men stole alcohol.
The officer arrived and noticed bulges in their clothing.
Posted in: Uncategorized | 8 Comments »
December 24th, 2008, 1:27 pm by Devon Hersom
  Two suspects that may have burglarized a Gilbert school in October are now in custody after an extensive investigation, police records show.
The men, Gregory Griffin and Kameron Williams, were arrested this month and booked for burglary, misdemeanor theft and misdemeanor warrants, according to a Gilbert Police arrest record.
Police believe the men entered Highland High School, located on Guadalupe Road between Higley and Power roads, on Oct. 21 and stole computer related equipment from two classrooms, according to Gilbert Police spokesman Sgt. Mark Marino.
Griffin (pictured right), 28, was taken into police custody on Dec. 18 and Williams (pictured left), 20, was arrested Tuesday for his participation in the burglary.
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December 24th, 2008, 12:34 pm by Mike Branom
Two East Valley men suspected in the shooting death of a Tempe resident have been arrested, police said.
Roy Bigelow, 46, and Darren Cooney, 42, were wanted in connection with a Dec. 15 homicide at an apartment complex in the 1200 block of East 8th Street. In that incident, 28-year-old Frank Daniel Demedio Jr. was shot to death.
Tempe police spokesman Sgt. Steve Carbajal said the investigation revealed Demedio argued with the two over a drug debt before Bigelow shot him. It wasn’t immediately known what was owed to whom.
Cooney was arrested in west-central Mesa on Tuesday afternoon; Mesa police took Bigelow, driving an allegedly stolen car, into custody early Wednesday.
Bigelow and Cooney were booked into jail on counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery and burglary, Carbajal said.
According to police records, was Tempe’s fourth homicide of 2008.
Posted in: Mesa • Tempe | 2 Comments »
December 24th, 2008, 11:20 am by Mike Branom
Mesa police are investigating the armed robbery of a fast-food restaurant on Tuesday night.
Around 8:30 p.m., a suspect pulled a gun on employees of the Carl’s Jr. at 1352 S. Gilbert Road. After receiving an undisclosed amount of money, he fled on foot.
The suspect as described as a black male, about 25 years old, 6 feet tall and weighing 200 pounds. He was wearing jeans and a black hooded sweatshirt with blue or purple squares in a checkered pattern on the chest.
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December 23rd, 2008, 5:21 pm by Eddi Trevizo
Tempe police arrested a man who broke into a stranger’s home last week and was found sleeping in his underwear on the floor, police said.
According to a Tempe police report, Matthew G. Ferguson, 47, broke into a home near Rural Road and Alameda Drive late Friday night through an unlocked door. The police report states that Ferguson went to the back bedroom and fell asleep on the floor.
Homeowners who had just recently moved into the home found Ferguson curled up on the floor asleep in a T-shirt and underwear. One of the residents confronted Ferguson with a bat and held him until authorities arrived, according to the report.
Police said no one was injured and Ferguson was arrested on suspicion of residential criminal trespass. He was transported to the Tempe City Jail, according to the report.
Posted in: Uncategorized | 6 Comments »
December 23rd, 2008, 2:47 pm by Mike Branom
A man suspected of repeatedly raping and impregnating a girl in Oklahoma was arrested in Mesa on Tuesday.
Edward Baughman, 56, was taken into custody at a residence in the 8600 block of East Main Street, the U.S. Marshals Service said. The morning arrest took place without incident and he now is awaiting extradition back to Oklahoma.
Baughman was wanted on a warrant for rape, issued in October. His alleged victim was 12 years old, authorities said.
Baughman at first cooperated with law enforcement officials in Oklahoma, but then fled. Last month, the Oklahoma City Metro Fugitive Task Force began hunting for Baughman and soon determined he was residing in the Valley.
 Edward Baughman
Posted in: Mesa | 9 Comments »
December 22nd, 2008, 11:27 am by Mike Branom
A weekend theft – and crash – of a pickup truck ended with the arrest of three men from the Gila River Indian Community, Mesa police said.
Two other suspects escaped following the pursuit early Saturday through southeast Mesa, Queen Creek and south Gilbert.
According to police, around 1:35 p.m. officers were dispatched to the 7600 block of East Obispo Avenue in reference to a report of a stolen vehicle.
Soon after, an officer found the Ford F250 driving toward Sossaman Road. The truck then went south on Sossaman at a high rate of speed while turning the lights on and off.
With patrol cars in pursuit, guided by a police helicopter, the truck drove on until it crashed near Greenfield and Chandler Heights road, causing major damage to the vehicle’s front. The five men in the truck then ran away.
After a short time, three suspects were caught while trying to hide under a truck.
Two men were booked into jail on suspicion of possessing stolen property and trespassing, while the third suspect was booked as a juvenile for the same charges.
Posted in: Gilbert • Mesa • Queen Creek | 8 Comments »
December 22nd, 2008, 11:11 am by Mike Branom
A man suspected of trying to break into an east Mesa sandwich shop early Monday was apprehended by a police dog soon after.
The unidentified suspect was caught in the backyard of a home in the 5200 block of East Florian Avenue. After medical treatment for puncture wounds to the back of his neck, courtesy of K-9 officer Jake, the man was booked for burglary and residential trespass.
Police said shortly before 3:45 a.m., officers were dispatched to the Subway 1121 S. Higley Road to investigate a burglar alarm indicating a glass break. A police detective on his way home also saw a subject breaking a window to the business.
The suspect ran north to a silver Jeep Liberty parked on Southern Avenue and attempted to enter on he passenger side. But the door would not open, so the suspect ran north into a residential neighborhood with the detective following.
The Jeep fled the area and was not located.
After a perimeter was established, Jake found the suspect hiding in a bush.
Posted in: Mesa | 9 Comments »
December 22nd, 2008, 11:02 am by Mike Branom
Mesa police believe a drive-by shooting that damaged a car and home, nearly striking the resident, may have been gang-related retaliation.
No one was hurt in Sunday night’s incident in the 7100 block of East Arbor Avenue, near Main Street and Power Road. The shooter could not be located.
Police said the scene of the shooting is a known gang-affiliated house, and there has been an on-going dispute between the victim and a member of the Jefferson Park Gangsters. The victim is under house arrest for a shooting involving a JPG member.
Rounds from what appear to be a shotgun damaged the victim’s car, parked in the driveway, and entered the residence.
Posted in: Mesa | 2 Comments »
December 20th, 2008, 9:47 pm by Devon Hersom
An armed man attempting to rob a Chandler jewelry store died from a gunshot wound resulting from a gun battle between the suspect and store employees, police say.
The store manager was shot in the face during the battle, but he is expected to survive, according to Chandler police Det. David Ramer. The department has not released the identities of anyone involved in the incident.
Two male suspects entered the Christopher Diamond Jewelry store, located near the intersection of Chandler Blvd. and the Loop 101, at 4:45 p.m. Saturday, Ramer said. One of the men was armed and told the store owner, his wife and their adult son that he was going to rob the store.
When the store manager pulled a gun, the suspect shot him, Ramer said. A resulting gun battle left the suspect mortally wounded but he was able to flee in a stolen pick-up truck to the area of Broadway and the Loop 101.
The suspect’s vehicle came to a stop near the intersection and the second man fled on foot while the wounded suspect remained inside the truck. The wounded man was transported to an area hospital where he later died, Ramer said.
The second suspect was later arrested in the surrounding area, Ramer said.
No one else was injured during the shooting but witnesses helped police track the suspect’s vehicle by providing a description of the truck, Ramer said.
Posted in: Uncategorized | 6 Comments »
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