On evening of Monday, October 2, 2023, a Safford police officer traveling down Discovery Park Blvd, was just about to turn onto 8th Avenue when he noticed a man trying to hide behind some shrubs. The man had apparently seen the police vehicle and tried to conceal himself from the officer. The officer recognized the man from prior police contacts and knew that he had an arrest warrant for theft.
When the officer confronted the man and told him to place his hands behind his back, the man refused and stepped out into the road. The man had a pocket knife, which the officer took from him and placed in his patrol vehicle. As the officer closed the door to his cruiser, the suspect began to flee the scene, running east on the south side of Discovery Park Blvd. The man didn’t get far before tumbling down into the the wash at the intersection of 8th Avenue. He jumped up and continued to run, but fell again.
The officer apprehended him but the man turned on the officer and grabbed his firearm. The officer pulled out his Mag light and beat the suspect in the head several times until he dropped the firearm. The officer deployed his taser which struck the man in the chest but it had no effect.
The man got up and tried running but fell again. The officer used pepper spray to try to restrict the man’s movement. The man then reached into his fanny pack, trying to remove something. At this point other officers and deputies arrived and ordered the man to climb out of the ditch and surrender. He was taken into custody without further incident. While canvassing the area, officers found counterfeit Oxycodone pills wrapped in tin foil.
An ambulance crew arrived to treat the man’s injuries and took him to Mt Graham Regional Medical Center for further treatment. The man was interviewed by officers at the hospital. He said he ran because he knew had a warrant and he was scared. He told officers that he didn’t remember much after falling into the wash. He claimed that he didn’t remember trying to grab the officer’s firearm or resisting arrest. He admitted using Fentanyl, methamphetamine, Xanax and alcohol.
After being discharged from the hospital the man was booked into Graham County Jail.
