Police chase down man with warrants on stolen bicycle

SAFFORD – A police officer responded to Walmart at approximately 2:15 a.m. on Sunday in reference to the report of suspicious person, wearing all red clothing, riding a bicycle. The bicycle matched the description of one that was stolen from Denny’s the previous night.

When the officer arrived, he found the suspect riding the bicycle in the prescription pickup area. The officer drove toward the suspect in an attempt to make contact with him but the man began riding away from the officer toward Highway 70. The officer activated his emergency lights and followed the suspect down the access road between Walmart and the highway. The suspect stood up on the peddles and started to ride faster. The man then jumped the curb and rode down a small incline into the parking lot of Taco Taste.

The officer kept pace with the suspect in his patrol vehicle with lights flashing. As the suspect rode across the highway, the officer activated his siren and followed the suspect into McDonald’s parking lot. The suspect rode to the north side of the parking lot and tried to jump the bicycle over a concrete ditch. The suspect, later identified as Oscar Amaro, crashed into the ditch and came to an abrupt stop.

The officer got out of his vehicle and ordered Amaro to put his hands up and get out of the ditch. Amaro grabbed at a backpack he was wearing, prompting the officer to draw his duty weapon and point it at Amaro. The officer ordered Amaro to show his hands and get out of the ditch. Amaro complied and tried to climb out of the ditch. The officer holstered his weapon, pulled Amaro out of the ditch and put him on the ground.

Another officer arrived and helped place Amaro in handcuffs. Amaro identified himself and officers confirmed his identity with prior booking photos. Dispatch also confirmed that Amaro had two outstanding warrants for his arrest.

A search of Amaro’s backpack turned up a glass smoking pipe, commonly used to smoke meth and a syringe. Amaro denied ownership of the syringe but admitted that the glass pipe was his.

A Thatcher police officer arrived and spoke to Amaro about the stolen bike. Amaro admitted that he had stolen the bike from Denny’s the previous night.

Amaro was booked into the Graham County Jail for the warrants, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of stolen property.

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