SAFFORD – Police and emergency medical personnel were dispatched to the City of Safford sub station located in the 2500 block of 8th Avenue last Tuesday. It was reported that a man was sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle unconscious, holding a knife in his hand. It was unknown at the time of the call if the man was breathing.
When the first officer arrived, they parked their patrol vehicle behind the other vehicle, which was still running, and approached the passenger side to take a look at the man inside the vehicle. The officer could see the man was breathing and clutching a knife in his hand with the blade visible. A small clear baggie lying in the passenger seat appeared to contain a usable amount of heroin. Another officer arrived and positioned their patrol vehicle in front of the subject’s vehicle before attempting to make contact with the man. Authorities tapped on the the passenger and driver’s side window which woke the man inside and who immediately dropped the knife and opened the door, complying with the officers commands to do so.
When the doors were unlocked, and officer reached inside to take the knife as well as the substance in the baggie. The man reported to officers, he had used heroin and had passed out cleaning his fingernails with the knife. The man stated that he had been out of rehab for five days and was “just enjoying the high”. The man admitted the substance in the baggie was his, and a search of the vehicle was conducted. Officers found a rolled up paper also in the front passenger seat which had a usable amount of heroin enclosed inside of it but the man couldn’t remember if it was his. A total of two clear baggies were located, along with multiple folded portions of aluminum foil and a drinking straw with a burnt end.
The man was transported to the Safford Police Department for fingerprinting and to have charges explained to him. The man requested to have help through the courts with his drug addiction. The vehicle the man was found in was registered to his father, who came to pick up the vehicle from the scene and later picked up his son from the police department.
