Author Archive
November 24th, 2008, 8:16 am by Mike Branom
Maricopa County authorities are investigating the death of a man found in east Mesa.
The victim, described only as Hispanic, was found on a roadway around 7 a.m. Monday near the Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club, at 3960 N. Usery Pass Road.
Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Deputy Lindsey Smith said the victim suffered from head trauma and the death appears to be a homicide.
Posted in: Maricopa County • Mesa | 23 Comments »
November 10th, 2008, 8:27 pm by Mike Branom
A man’s tantrum – with his driver’s license, fists and spit flying – at a Mill Avenue fast-food restaurant ended in his arrest, police said.
Anthony William Newton, 30, of Tempe was booked into city jail Saturday night on counts of felony aggravated assault, assault, criminal damage, disorderly conduct and trespassing.
According to police, Newton was inside Jack in the Box, 721 S. Mill Ave., about 10:15 p.m. when he began yelling obscenities. A security guard told Newton to leave, but Newton responded by throwing his license at the guard, along with more yelling and cursing.
Outside the restaurant, Newton punched the guard in the face and broke his radio, which is valued at $1,200.
When police officers arrested Newton, he allegedly said, “What do you think about this?” and spit in an officer’s face.
Posted in: Tempe | 5 Comments »
November 10th, 2008, 7:07 pm by Mike Branom
A Mesa woman convicted of identity theft recently was sentenced to 6-1/2 years in prison.
Crystal Wright, 30, also must serve two years probation and make financial restitution.
Tempe police said Wright stole a credit card number and charged $7,852 to the victim’s account. She was arrested in March.
In September, she pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft, a class three felony, with one prior felony conviction.
Posted in: Maricopa County • Mesa • Tempe | 8 Comments »
November 10th, 2008, 6:36 pm by Mike Branom
Mesa police are looking for a 16-year-old runaway.
Ivette Gaytan did not show up at Dobson High School on Monday morning. She is described as Hispanic, 5 feet tall, weighing 116 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
Ivette’s mother told authorities her daughter had fled their home late Saturday night, leaving behind a suicide note, after they had argued. When Ivette left, she was wearing a tan hooded sweatshirt, blue pajama bottoms and slippers.
Anyone with information about Ivette’s whereabouts is encouraged to call Mesa police at (480) 644-2211 or their local authorities.
Posted in: Mesa | 6 Comments »
November 10th, 2008, 5:20 pm by Mike Branom
Two armed robbers took cash from a convenience store Sunday night.
A store clerk at 6807 E. Broadway Road told police two robbers came in about 9 p.m. They were wearing black clothing over their heads and faces. One demanded the clerk give them money, police said.
One of the robbers removed an undisclosed amount of cash from the register, and then demanded the victim’s cell phone and the business’s telephone.
No surveillance video is available at this time, police said.
Posted in: Mesa | 1 Comment »
November 10th, 2008, 5:19 pm by Mike Branom
A man’s car was stolen by an armed robber on Saturday.
The victim told police he was getting into his vehicle near a Motel 6 at 620 W. Main St. about 5 p.m. when a man walked up to him and told him to get out
Police are looking for a light-skinned, Hispanic male in his 30s, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, and weighing about 220 pounds. He was wearing a red T-shirt and gray jeans, and black hair in a crew cut. Accompanying the man was a Hispanic female in her 30s with long hair.
The victim was not hurt.
The investigation is ongoing.
Posted in: Mesa | 5 Comments »
November 10th, 2008, 12:07 pm by Mike Branom
A Mesa bank was robbed on Friday.
Police said a man and woman entered a Wells Fargo branch at 1954 E. McKellips Road round 1:15 p.m., and then presented a demand note.
After obtaining an undetermined amount of money, they fled on a motorcycle, witnesses said.
There is no further investigation, police said, and the investigation is ongoing.
Posted in: Mesa | 4 Comments »
November 6th, 2008, 11:41 am by Mike Branom
An burglary early Thursday in Tempe ended with the suspect beaten and then arrested, police said.
Police said that about 3:30 a.m., Gabriel Saucedo entered a home in the 100 block of West Fifth Street and, when the resident woke, threatened him with a baseball bat and demanded property. Saucedo, 23, held the resident against his will for about five minutes.
But police said the resident, Alex Botsios, ought back and detained Saucedo until police arrived. Investigators said they found signs of forced entry into the residence and missing property.
Police said Saucedo was treated for minor injuries at a hospital. Afterward, he taken to city jail and booked on suspicion of armed robbery and kidnapping.
Posted in: Tempe | 28 Comments »
November 6th, 2008, 11:22 am by Mike Branom
Tempe narcotics officers have arrested three accused dealers of heroin following a three-week investigation, police said Thursday.
Alex Mendivil, 56; Guillermo Gamboa, 45; and Luis Jaramillo, 55, were booked into city jail Tuesday on counts of possession/sale of narcotics and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Mendivil allegedly sold heroin in the area of Esquer Park and along Apache Boulevard while Gamboa acted as his driver. They were arrested following a vehicle stop in the 2100 block of East Apache Boulevard, and a search of their car turned up two grams of heroin and several hypodermic needles.
Afterward, a search warrant was conducted at Jaramillo’s residence in Tempe. Police said they found there more heroin plus about $2,000 in cash, drug ledgers and drug paraphernalia.
Posted in: Tempe | 3 Comments »
November 6th, 2008, 11:14 am by Mike Branom
Unknown assailants stabbed a Mesa resident early Thursday.
The 49-year-old victim was taken to Scottsdale Osborn Healthcare hospital; his injuries were not considered life-threatening.
No further information was available about the victim’s condition or identity, or the attackers.
According to police, a woman said she went to the victim’s apartment, in the 600 block of West First Avenue, around 1 a.m. to deliver some food.
She went to the bathroom, and that’s when she heard a commotion at the apartment’s front door and three unknown male voices arguing with the victim.
When the witness came out of the bathroom, she found the victim, suffering from stab wounds, in a pool of blood.
Posted in: Mesa | 11 Comments »
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