DUI Suspect Strikes Officer With Vehicle While Fleeing Traffic Stop

This morning at approximately 5:10 AM, we had a two-man unit initiate a traffic stop on a red Toyota truck with a single occupant.  The truck initially pulled over at Cicero/Higley and our officers made contact with the driver, whom was identified as 37 year-old Rogelio Vargas.  The officers detected the odor of burnt Marijuana coming from the vehicle and asked the driver to step out of the truck.

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Vargas opened the door as if to get out, but instead shifted into drive and sped off striking our officer with the door and side of truck as he fled.  The officer was able to maintain his footing and get back to his vehicle.  Due to Vargas hitting our officer and the indication he may be impaired, the officers initiated a pursuit, which led them into the neighborhood in this area.

Approximately, one minute later, as the suspect vehicle came back out onto Higley at Adobe, it rolled as Vargas had taken the corner too fast.  Our officers immediately drew their weapons and took him into custody without further incident.  Our officer and Vargas were both seen at the hospital and later released with minor injuries.  

During interview, Vargas stated he did not remember what happened and had used a large amount of illegal drugs that night. He was booked into our jail for Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer and Unlawful Flight.  In addition, Vargas will be charged with DUI Drugs via a long form complaint.

They say football is a game of inches, sometimes so is law enforcement.  Needless to say, we are thankful our officers are okay and no citizens were injured by this suspect's reckless driving.

Suspect Arrested After Breaking In To Mesa Residence

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On 1/18/14 at approximately 5:45 AM, Mesa patrol officers responded to the 4200 block of N. Tabor reference an armed robbery / home invasion. The reporting party called to say that a subject kicked in his front door and was standing inside his house. The suspect said he had a gun, but the RP did not see one. The male then left the home in an unknown direction. 

As responding officers arrived a perimeter was established. An officer on scene advised he could hear glass breaking at a house to the west of the dispatched location in the 4200 block of N. Katmai. As officers were surrounding that house, the suspect came running down the driveway and was placed at gunpoint and taken into custody. A check of that residence found the suspect's wallet in the backyard and his backpack on the upstairs balcony, which can be accessed by stairs at the rear of the home. He was identified as 23 year-old Curtis Archer.

One-on-one identifications were conducted and Archer was positively identified. During interview, Archer stated he was being chased by someone with a shotgun and needed to hide. He also admitted to smoking Methamphetamine earlier in the night.  He was then booked into the Mesa Jail for felony and misdemeanor criminal trespass, 4 counts of disorderly conduct and 2 counts of criminal damage.

Intoxicated Male Points Gun At Police Officers

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On 01/18/2014 at 2117 hours, Mesa patrol officers respond to the 2000 block of  E. Des Moines in an attempt to locate a hit & run suspect in reference to a vehicle collision at Stapley and Southern. When the homeowner, 49 year-old Robert Neilson, answered the door, officers ask him if the hit & run suspect is there. Neilson tells the officers he is there, then takes a step back and pulls a handgun from his waistband, points it at the officers and says “Do you want this?” 

Due to being in such close proximity to Neilson, the officers first reaction was to grab the handgun and turn it away from themselves. A physical struggle for the handgun ensued and an officer was able to get it away from Neilson. The officers took Neilson to the ground, but he continued to physically struggle with the officers. At one point, Neilson was reaching for the handgun which was now on the ground. The officers were eventually able to take Neilson into custody. Robert Neilson was examined / treated at the scene by Mesa Fire paramedics for injuries. Neilson was transported to Banner Desert hospital for further treatment / medical clearance and his level of alcohol intoxication.

One of the officers received minor abrasions to his knees during the struggle. Neilson was booked on two counts of Aggravated Assault on Law enforcement and one count of Resisting Arrest. This was a very dangerous situation that could have ended tragically different for all involved, had it not been for the actions of our officers.

Crime Stats - December 2013

The following are the top 5 calls for service and arrests for each patrol district -- 12/01/2013 through 12/31/2013.

FIESTA		CENTRAL
Call Type	Frequency	Call Type	Frequency
Subjects Disturbing	399	Subjects Disturbing	380
Check Welfare	303	Check Welfare	318
Loud Music/Noise	200	Other Agency Assist	205
Other Agency Assist	155	Suspicious Activity	192
Suspicious Activity	154	Loud Music/Noise	171
Arrests	Frequency	Arrests	Frequency
Robbery	1	Homicide	5
Aggravated Assault	9	Rape	1
Breaking & Entering	12	Robbery	5
Theft	80	Aggravated Assault	7
Alcohol/DUI	71	Breaking & Entering	4
Other Assaults	41	Theft	64
Disorderly Conduct	17	GTA	1
Drugs	54	Alcohol/DUI	62
Fiscal/Forgery	16	Other Assaults	41
Loitering/Runaway	2	Disorderly Conduct	41
Vandalism	20	Drugs	51
All Other	135	Fiscal/Forgery	11
		Loitering/Runaway	2
		Sex Offenses	1
		Vandalism	23
		All Other	209
TOTAL	458	TOTAL	528

RED MOUNTAIN		SUPERSTITION
Call Type	Frequency	Call Type	Frequency
Check Welfare	362	Check Welfare	341
Subjects Disturbing	357	Subjects Disturbing	231
Loud Music/Noise	253	Burglary Alarm	227
Suspicious Activity	248	Other Agency Assist	212
Burglary Alarm	210	Suspicious Activity	165
Arrests	Frequency	Arrests	Frequency
Robbery	2	Robbery	3
Aggravated Assault	8	Aggravated Assault	3
Breaking & Entering	6	Breaking & Entering	3
Theft	71	Theft	113
GTA	4	Alcohol/DUI	48
Alcohol/DUI	62	Other Assaults	24
Other Assaults	34	Disorderly Conduct	15
Disorderly Conduct	21	Drugs	38
Drugs	59	Fiscal/Forgery	10
Fiscal/Forgery	17	Loitering/Runaway	5
Sex Offenses	3	Sex Offenses	4
Vandalism	15	Vandalism	8
All Other	140	All Other	62
TOTAL	442	TOTAL	336

Suspect Arrested After Lurking Around Closed Businesses

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Stopping crime before it happens, or being "proactive" as we say in law enforcement.  That is just what one of our officers was doing at 2 am on January 16th, when he noticed a white Chevy truck trolling the parking lot of closed businesses at Greenfield and McKellips.  Our officer, out of The Red Mountain Patrol District, got into a position where he could watch this individual without being seen.  The truck seemed to amble about the lot, slowing near businesses (which were closed) until it backed into a parking space in front of a Verizon Wireless store.

After only a couple of minutes, inexplicably, the truck drove off at a high rate of speed onto the roadway.  Our officer initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle for a traffic violation and contacted 37 year-old Rafael Luis Valenzuela.  Valenzuela was in possession of Marijuana and drug paraphernalia, for which he was arrested.  Inside the vehicle was a box of latex gloves and numerous tools, to include multiple lock/bolt cutters. 

Valenzuela gave no reason for being in Mesa, at 2 AM, in a parking lot full of closed businesses and gave a Phoenix address as his residence, before refusing further interview. A history check revealed Valenzuela had a criminal history of numerous burglaries in the Phoenix area.  So, a shout out to Officer Stoddard for some excellent, proactive police work. Way to represent brother!!!

Kindergarten Teacher Booked on 25 Counts of Indecent Exposure

Photo of Suspect, Thomas Washburn

A Mesa Kindergarten teacher has been arrested and booked for 25 counts of Indecent Exposure and one count of Child Abuse stemming from an incident in his classroom. Thomas Washburn, age 54, teaches Kindergarten at Adams Elementary School in Mesa where the incident occurred on January 15, 2014.

The victim, a 6-year-old female, was in class with 24 classmates on the afternoon of January 15. Washburn was reportedly upset and shouting in the class causing the victim to hide her face in the top of her shirt. The victim's mother described her daughter as "developmentally delayed" due to being born prematurely. It appears that based on shouting, the child was frightened and hiding in her shirt. When Washburn told her to take her face out of the shirt and she did not comply, he went to her and completely removed her shirt, leaving her naked from the waist up. The victim was left in that state for approximately 10 minutes crying as class continued. Eventually Washburn returned her clothing and that was the end of the incident.

When the victim's mother arrived after school to pick up the child, Washburn told the parent what he had done. She was extremely upset and immediately contacted the Principal's office. When staff learned of the incident, they contacted our department and the investigation was opened. Detectives interviewed the victim and her mother and confirmed what had happened. Washburn was at school late due to conferences and was contacted by detectives. He was transported to Mesa Police Headquarters to be interviewed. Washburn invoked his rights and declined to answer any questions. He was booked at that time for one count of Child Abuse and one count of Indecent Exposure C1M. At the time of the incident, there was one adult aide in the classroom.

This morning, detectives continued the investigation and ultimately added an additional 24 counts of Indecent Exposure C4F for each of the students present at the time of the incident. This investigation is ongoing, but at this time we unaware of any similar crimes of this nature in the classroom.

Mesa Public Schools and the Mesa Police Department are working cooperatively on the investigation to ensure that all available information is gathered and to ensure the safe education of the children attending the Mesa Public Schools.

Officer Assaulted with Motorcycle Helmet

On Jan. 13 at 11:15 p.m., Mesa officers responded to the McDonald’s restaurant near Mesa Dr. and University in reference to a suspect planning to commit theft inside the restaurant. Officers arrived and made contact with the suspect, 23 year-old Oscar Garcia. After speaking with him, officers released Garcia. When officers were leaving the scene, Garcia jumped in front of a patrol car in an attempt to be hit; Garcia was not hit or injured.  

Having a motorcycle helmet in hand, Garcia swung the helmet in effort to shatter the front headlight of the patrol car. When officers exited their vehicles to arrest him for attempted criminal damage, Garcia began swinging his helmet, striking an officer in the side. When Garcia resisted arrest, a .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun fell from his waistband.

Good job by our officers taking Garcia into custody without injury to officers or suspect. Garcia was booked for attempted criminal damage, aggravated assault and resisting arrest.  

Driver Flees after Smashing into Pontoon Boats at the Mesa Bass Pro Shop

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 On Jan. 11 at 8:40 a.m., Mesa officers responded to the Bass Pro Shop at Mesa Riverview reference to a hit and run investigation. Employees had discovered several damaged Sun Tracker pontoon boats outside of the store. Initial property damage was estimated to be an excess of $100,000. Evidence from the scene suggest this occurred between 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. and the suspect vehicle to be a light colored Ford SUV or truck with a Triton V10 engine. The suspect vehicle fled the scene, leaving a trail of fluids that led to the 202 freeway.  The suspect vehicle likely sustained heavy front end damage.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Mesa PD (480) 644-2211 and select option 2.

24 Hour Exceptional Incident Report

On January 9 at 12:39am, officers were dispatched to the 1800 block of North Sundial reference a traffic accident. It was learned that an intoxicated male left the roadway and collided into a residence. The accident caused major damage to the suspect's car and the victim's garage. The male was later arrested for a number of DUI-related charges.

24 Hour Exceptional Incident Report

Aggravated Assault - DV / Child Abuse
On January 7 at 10:11 pm, officers responded to the 1800 block of East Covina reference a family fight call where an adult female with a knife was allegedly chasing a male holding a baby. When officers arrived, the female had gone back inside the apartment. Officers talked to the male, who had two young children with him. Eventually officers were able to get the female to exit the apartment; she was taken into custody. Upon investigation, it was determined that the female and male lived together and had one child in common. They got into an argument and, as the male tried to leave with the two young children, they got into a scuffle. The female allegedly attacked the male with a knife, while he was holding their 10-month-old son. The baby had a red mark on his forehead, which the male claimed was from the female attacking him. The baby was examined by paramedics and the female was booked into jail for Aggravated Assault-DV and Child Abuse.

Burglary
On January 8 at 2:30 am, a male suspect removed the screen and rear window to a residence in the 2100 block of East Bramble. The suspect entered the residence and rummaged through the master bedroom dresser while the victim was sleeping. The elderly victim was woken up by the suspect's flashlight. The suspect then punched the victim in the face and fled the residence with a dresser drawer and numerous items of property, including jewelry.