Adrian Cruz, the convicted child rapist who escaped from the Maricopa County Courthouse last year, was captured yesterday afternoon in Mexico. The U.S. Marshals Service says Mexican authorities contacted it yesterday to say they had Cruz in custody. Now, a Mexican judge must decide whether to deport Cruz back to Arizona to stand trial. If Cruz returns to court here, he faces another 30 years in prison for his crimes. (UPDATE: the U.S. Marshals Service now says reports of Cruz's arrest are false, and he remains at large.)...Pima County residents will have fewer places to put their garbage after July, as county officials have decided to close two of the county's three landfills. The Sahuarita landfill will close for at least one year, and the Ina Road landfill will close permanently, leaving only the Tangerine landfill open. County officials say the landfills are operating at a deficit of a few hundred thousand dollars a year...
A young woman was taken to the hospital yesterday after she was shot at her front door. According to police, 19-year-old Erica Johnson answered the front door at her Apache Junction home because she thought the man on the doorstep was interested in buying the house. Police say the man pulled out a gun and shot Johnson in the shoulder before running off. The suspect is described as a white male in his mid-20s, with brownish hair and a medium build...Two people were taken to the hospital yesterday after a chemical spill at Angela's Textile Services in Phoenix. The Phoenix Fire Department said five gallons of formic acid, which is used for cleaning, were spilled in the plant about 4 p.m. Two women in their 30s were taken to Good Samaritan Hospital and are in stable condition...The driver of an 18-wheeler was robbed at gunpoint in Avondale early this morning. Police say the driver was forced to drive the truck to an industrial area south of the Interstate 10 freeway, then robbed. The suspect then fled in the truck...The Arizona Capitol Museum needs at least 60 volunteers for an exhibit on February 20. The exhibit features one of only 26 known, original copies of the Declaration of Independence, and volunteers are needed to greet guests, direct visitors through the exhibit, and answer questions about the event. The exhibit is open to the public on a first-come-first-served basis; there will be no special tours or arrangements.
