Cop Shop

The Valley’s new light rail system saw its first reported collision Tuesday afternoon, when a car hit the train and sped off, according to Phoenix authorities.

Phoenix police reported that the incident was minor with little to no damage to the train and no reported injuries.

A car collided with the train at 2:15 p.m. near First Avenue and Jefferson Street, according to the report. Police did not know how many people were in the car at the time of the collision, but authorities said that the train was not taken out of service.

Police officer John Howard said there was no specific description of the vehicle because police received so many conflicting descriptions from witnesses.

Howard sad the train car received minor scuffs in the Valley’s first rail collision since the Metro celebrated its grand opening on Saturday, Dec. 27. He said the police were investigating the incident. No further information was available.

Check back at evtrib.com for more updates

James Alvin Duke

Police arrested a registered sex offender who tried to nab an 18-year-old girl while she tended animals at Gilbert High School on Thursday.

Authorities said James Alvin Duke, 43, tried to abduct a girl who was grooming animals that are housed at the school around 6 p.m. on Thursday. According to reports the girl stabbed Duke in the chest with her keys after she placed them defensively in her hand as she him approaching.

Police said Duke continued to wrestle with the girl until she activated the “panic car alarm”. Duke fled the scene on foot, left his own car, and stole a semi tractor trailer truck from 1200 W. Sam Pedro in Gilbert, which was later recovered in Phoenix.

Gilbert detectives arrested Duke as he was attempting to leave the Valley around 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Duke, a registered sex offender, was arrested and transported to Maricopa County 4^th Avenue Jail on suspicion of attempted sexual assault, theft of means of transportation, and attempted kidnapping.

Officials arrested a Mesa man suspected of running one of the largest marijuana growing operations in years, Thursday afternoon.

Authorities at the Arizona Department of Public Safety said the bitter smell of marijuana was overwhelming inside the west Mesa home, near Gilbert road and Main Street, where officials seized dozens of plants and a box of ready for sale marijuana with an estimated street value of $2000 to $3000 dollars.

“David White, 31, was arrested Thursday about 5 p.m. on suspicion of possession, use, sale and production of marijuana,” said Bart Graves, DPS media spokesperson.

According to Graves, White was arrested during the course of an ongoing investigation of west Mesa gangs by the DPS State Gang Task Force. Graves said the unit was monitoring drug activity as part of its investigation into criminal gang activity in Mesa when White’s residence became a point of interest.

“We were following the money and all signs pointed to this house from the gang activity,” said Graves.

Authorities said the hydroponic marijuana lab was the largest growing operation they had ever encountered. The two-story home had several rooms with carefully controlled temperature, lighting, and fans. The rooms had dozens of plants in several stages of growth and according to Graves; investigators believe the lab has been operating for several years.

DPS officials did not arrest any other people in connection with the warrant search and seizure, and investigators believe white was operating alone.

Chandler police arrested two men suspected of swindling nearly $800,000 from the Gold Canyon Candle Company, Thursday.

According to police Donald Elvin Blackburn, 38, of Queen Creek and Derek David Gentry, 37, of Peoria worked together charging Gold Canyon for computer products, license renewals and license keys without delivering the products. 

Police reports said Gentry was employed at Gold Canyon Candles in June of 2005 as the Information Technology Director but neglected to mention he owned Maverick Development Solutions INC., another vendor to Gold Canyon Candles and a conflict of interest.

A fellow employee noticed Gentry’s name attached to a Maverick Development Solutions INC invoice, further investigation revealed that Gentry was the owner of the company and was over billing products Gold Canyon purchased, said police reports.

Gentry’s employment was terminated and Gold Canyon began an internal audit.

Police believe that Blackburn and Gentry worked together charging Gold Canyon Candles for products such as computer products, license renewals and license keys but   never delivering the products, said authorities.

The Chandler police Financial Crimes Unit found evidence linking both men to nearly $800,000 in missing products. Blackburn and Gentry were arrested on suspicion of fraud schemes, felony theft, computer fraud, forgery, and trafficking stolen property.

Fire crews were on scene of a house fire battling flames late Tuesday night.

According to Chandler authorities the fire at a home near Palm Beach Drive and Cooper Road started in the garage but quickly spread to the attic.

Chandler fire fighters got the emergency call at 9:42 p.m. when officials arrived on seen all occupants were safely out of the house.

According to fire authorities there were no injuries at 10:20 p.m. and officials did not know the cause of the fire.

Mesa police arrested a man they believe pointed a gun at his mother and threatened to kill her.

According to police reports Steven A. Jones, 24, pointed a handgun at his mother and threatened to kill her after and argument over their dogs Sunday afternoon. The mother, who was not identified, called 911 and told police her son pulled the gun out and pointed it at her, but fled on foot before authorities arrived on scene, according to reports.

Jones was arrested shortly after near 8^th Street and Stapley Drive. According to police Jones appeared to be under the influence of alcohol slurring his speech and making rambling statements.

Jones told police he and his mother had a discussion about the safety of Mesa when he pulled out the gun to show his mother “they would be safe”, according to police. When authorities asked Jones if he had threatened his mother Jones told police he would never hurt her, and that he left the house to get away from her.

According to authorities Jones was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault.

Chandler police arrested a man suspected of organizing night-time crime sprees of several cell phone stores and selling the stolen phones in his own businesses.

Raied “Rocky” Francis, 41, was arrested Thursday morning after a 3 month long investigation in which authorities say he arranged for some of his employees to commit night-time burglaries on other cell phone businesses and bring him the stolen phones for payment, according to police reports.

The stolen phones were sold at Francis’s two business locations Wireless4Less , located near 7th Street and Mountain View Road in Phoenix, and Wireless4Less/ Check Cashing and More, near 26th Street and Bell Road. Some stolen items were also sold on EBay and Craigslist. Police reports said the stolen goods were flashed over to other wire-less providers using specialized computer software that masked the cell phone as being stolen, making them undetectable.

Authorities served three search warrants at Francis’s Phoenix home and businesses early Thursday morning. Francis was arrested on suspicion of multiple charges of possession of stolen property, trafficking in stolen property and fraud.

According to police the investigation is on-going and authorities are investigating whether Francis, who has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Iraq, has any ties to the stolen cell phones being used in other criminal activities locally, nationally, and internationally.

Chandler police are asking anyone with information  about the case to call 480-782-4130.

Mesa police arrested a man suspected of participating in a group assault that left one man with a shattered cheekbone and another with several staples and bruises on his head.

According to Mesa police on November 16, 2008 Andrew Shane, 19, went to pick his ex-girlfriend up at a party near Henkel Circle and Longmore where police believe he got into a physical fight over beer with a resident. The resident’s friends joined the fight and Shane received minor bruises when the fight ended according to police reports.

Several hours later Shane returned along with four friends to retaliate against the resident who “jumped” him, police said.

Shane and his friends broke into the home and attacked two of the residents, said Mesa police reports.

Authorities said one victim was hit on the head with a heavy object while he slept. He suffered deep cuts and required several staples to close the wounds on his head. Another victim was struck in the face with a blunt object. He suffered a shattered cheekbone, several facial fractures and deep bruising in his eye. According to police the victim was told he would require surgery to fix the damage inflicted by the blunt object.

According to police reports one of Shane’s friends was armed with a bat at the time of the assault. Police believe the bat was used to attack the victims and to damage their cars as the suspects left the residence.

Shane was arrested Tuesday afternoon. Police said Shane admitted he and his friends intended to harm the victims; however he stated that he never hurt the victims because his friends beat him to it. He also admitted he was aware that his friend came armed with a bat.

Shane was charged with aggravated assault, criminal damage and burglary in the first degree.

Police have not yet identified the four other suspects in the case.