Accidents and Disasters

Puppet Love

Department of Corrections Worker Mad at Wife Rammed Unrelated Vehicle Full of Kids on I-10

An Arizona Department of Corrections worker is accused of ramming into an SUV with six passengers -- five of them kids -- on Interstate 10 last week, causing some of the children to be ejected from the vehicle.The reason 35-year-old Ricardo Castro allegedly ran into this SUV on November 20 was that ... More >>

About 1,000 Earthquakes Shook Arizona in Recent Three-Year Period, ASU Researchers Report

Arizona shook from the tremors of nearly 1,000 earthquakes between 2006 and 2009, according to data recently published by Arizona State University researchers. New data from a National Science Foundation program recorded the seismic activity, which has scientists excited because of the unexpected f ... More >>

Pedro Ramirez ID'd by Police as Drunk Driver in Head-on Crash That Killed a 5-Year-Old

Phoenix police have identified 19-year-old Pedro Ramirez as the allegedly drunk driver who got in a head-on collision on the morning of April 30, killing a 5-year-old boy.The boy's mom was arrested, too, and faces child-abuse charges for putting her youngster in the car driven by Ramirez, and not pl ... More >>

Phoenix Teen Gets in Head-on Collision, Killing 5-Year-Old. Cops Think Alcohol May Have Been a Factor in 8 a.m. Crash

If Phoenix police are right on this one, then just about nothing was appropriate inside the sedan that crashed head-on into a Chevrolet truck yesterday morning.Police say a 5-year-old boy in the sedan died in the crash, as cops believe not only was the boy not restrained by a car seat, it appears he ... More >>

Pontiak Braves Tornadoes and Chainsaws Downed Trees to Deliver the Riff Rock of Echo Ono

See also: Pontiak Makes an Album About Driving from Phoenix to Texas The last time we blogged about the brothers Pontiak --Van, Lain, and Jennings Carney -- we discussed their EP, Comecrudos, a concept record designed for a drive through the American Southwest. It garnered an interesting comment fr ... More >>

Oscar Season: A Look at Academy Award-Nominated Shorts

Best Description of a Car Accident Ever. "Reality Hits You Hard, Bro" *VIDEO*

Youtube screen grab"Reality hits you hard, bro." - George Lindell​Valley resident George Lindell was driving to a Boston Market in north Phoenix to grab some grub last week, when he was rear-ended by an SUV. The SUV then swerved to avoid hitting another vehicle, causing the driver to lose control ... More >>

Missing Human Leg From Hit-and-Run Wreck Recovered...on Roof of "Uncle Bob's Storage" 160 Feet Away From Collission

www.costumehub.com The leg found on the roof of Uncle Bob's Storage has been baking in the sun for the last four days, so it's probably slightly worse for wear than the one pictured above.​The case of the missing leg has been solved.Mesa police say that the once-missing leg of a man who was ... More >>

Hit and Run Driver Arrested. Victim's Leg Still M.I.A.

Mesa Police DepartmentJose Padilla-Rodriguez​Mesa police arrested a man they say is responsible for a fatal hit and run incident early Sunday morning, during which one of the victims' legs was severed.The leg, however, was not found at the scene.Police suspected the leg might have become attached ... More >>

Leonard Gregg, Starter of 2002 Rodeo Fire, Scheduled to be Released From Prison Tomorrow

  Leonard Gregg​As firefighters continue to battle the Wallow fire in eastern Arizona, the starter of half of the monstrous 2002 Rodeo-Chedeski fire is scheduled to be released from prison tomorrow. Leonard Gregg, an Apache who lived in Cibecue, admitted he'd started two fires -- Rod ... More >>

X Japan Leader Yoshiki Launches Celebrity Auction to Benefit Japan's Earthquake Recovery

Photo by NishiokaYoshiki​To a music fan, there's nothing like having a unique piece of memorabilia from their favorite artist -- for example, an autographed guitar, or maybe the mandolin that Ministry used on three world tours, or Red Hot Chili Peppers singer Anthony Kiedis' MTV Europe Award. To a ... More >>

Christopher Gross Recalls Vacationing in Japan during the Tohoku Earthquake

Courtesy of Christopher Gross​Christopher Gross of

Saving Japan at SXSW

Help Save Japan @ SXSWCasino Kids standing in front of the Help Save Japan at SXSW booth at the Austin Convention Center. ​Debilitating earthquakes. Aftershocks. Tsunamis that swept away entire towns and destroyed countless agricultural fields. Thousands of dead and missing. All of this occurr ... More >>

Some Arizonans Freak Out Over Japan Reactor News, Others May Suffer Real Consequences of State's Past Radioactive Spills

Image: WikipediaAbout 100 million gallons of radioactive water that spilled down the Puerco River into Arizona in 1979 -- and people are worried about a bit of smoke from Japan?​Radiation from Japan shouldn't be your worry -- but maybe the sources of radiation here in Arizona should. Health st ... More >>

Russell Pearce Linked To Japan Disaster By Patrons of Local Sports Bar

We settled in yesterday for an annual ritual--watching the NCAA March Madness Selection Show at a Scottsdale bar, Zipps Sports Grill up on East Greenway Parkway.​It's always a hoot to see guys armed with schooners of brewskies trying to keep up with the match-ups as they flash on the big TV screen ... More >>

Ocean Spray Cranberry Thief, Thought to be Lost at Sea, Arrested in Yuma

Jim Repetto's alive and well -- and chances are he's going to prison.​If you're awaiting sentencing after being convicted of ripping off a large-scale cranberry juice manufacturer for more than a million dollars, lost at sea isn't a bad place to be. Assuming you don't want to actually be lost at s ... More >>

Qwest Truck Crashes into Phoenix Home; 4-Year-Old Girl Hospitalized

Photo by Matthew Hendley​Forget Qwest's "Heavy Duty Internet" commercials -- the Qwest truck that crashed into a Phoenix home Tuesday morning seems pretty heavy duty as well. Phoenix police Sergeant Tommy Thompson tells New Times that a worker driving a Qwest utility truck crashed into a home at ... More >>

Speeding Car Crashes Into Phoenix Home; Driver and Passenger Killed

musclecars.faketrix.com​For the second time this week, a Valley speedster put the pedal a little too much to the metal -- and the consequences were fatal. Police say two people were killed after their car crashed into a house on the corner of East Osborn Road and North 25th Street in Phoenix ... More >>

Truck Full of Weed Crashes into Arizona City Home

Pinal County Sheriff's OfficeThat weed-filled truck to the left crashed into that house (center) moving that couch (right) off the wall.​Imagine sitting on your couch, relaxing, and having a truck full of weed come crashing through the wall like the Kool-Aid guy. It may sound too good to be true, ... More >>

Kanye West Responsible for "Worst Part" of Bush Presidency

THIS was the worst part of Bush's presidency. What that guy on the right said that night.​It's soapbox time, everybody.In a recently taped interview with Matt Lauer, George W. Bush claimed that Kanye West's candid outburst on the September 2, 2005 Concert for Hurricane Relief telethon -- "George B ... More >>

Glendale Man Second Person Hit by Train in Flagstaff This Month

​For the second time in less than a month a person was hit by a train in Flagstaff. And, for the second time in less than a month, a person has died after being hit by a train in Flagstaff.The latest casualty of the Flagstaff railroad tracks is 57-year-old John Burgin, of Glendale.Flagstaff police ... More >>

I of the Storm

Exhibit tells Katrina survivors’ stories

I of the Storm

Exhibit tells Katrina survivors’ stories

DPS Claims it Never Put Speed Cams on Emergency Road During Wildfires

​Last week, a source who was front-and-center to witness wildfires that raged in northern Arizona told New Times that the Department of Public Safety placed photo-radar cameras on an emergency road as response crews tried to battle the blaze.The DPS, however, now says those claims are false.

Blazing Wildfires Doesn't Stop DPS From Using Speed Cams to Nab Lead Foots on Northern Arizona Highway

www.radarroy.com​Despite the blazing wildfires that engulfed parts of northern Arizona over the weekend, it seems the Arizona Department of Public Safety wasn't going to allow a pesky inferno to stop it from dishing out photo-radar speeding tickets.As the fires raged, a source who was at the ... More >>

Arizona Treasurer Dean Martin at High School as Plane Crashes into Building

Treasurer Dean Martin had a scare this afternoon after a plane crashed into a high school where he was meeting with forest officials.​You may have heard about the airplane that crashed into a central Arizona high school this afternoon, and it turns out that Arizona Treasurer and gubernatoria ... More >>

Gordo Getdown

Tornado Watch in Effect for Maricopa County; WTF?

We're doomed! Probably not.​The National Weather Service has issued an improbable tornado watch for Maricopa and Pinal counties until 10 p.m.Sorry, snowbirds, Phoenix isn't nothin' but sunshine all the time.According to the National Weather Service, a major tornado in Phoenix is incredibly r ... More >>

Phoenix, Um, Rocked by Lunchtime Earthquake

www.yimg.com​Did ya feel it? We sure as hell didn't.According to the United States Geological Survey, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake rocked northwest Mexico about a 40 minutes ago, and claims of feeling the aftershocks in the Valley are coming in from everywhere.As may have been expected, many o ... More >>

The Crash Heard Round the World

Writer discusses aviation-altering disaster

Vicki Christiansen Appointed as New State Forester

Vicki Christiansen, former Washington State Forester, has been appointed by Governor Jan Brewer to be the new Arizona State Forester and Director of the Arizona Division of Forestry.Brewer's office made the announcement today, but a Google search shows Christiansen has been off and running for week ... More >>

Bryant Wilkerson Faces Prison for a Fatal Accident. But if a Drunk Driver Hits You, Is It Your Fault?

Teen Killed in Car Crash Not Found by Cops for Almost Four Days

Nationalist Enquirer

Filmmaker/artist gives voice to patriots, real and imagined

I of the Storm

Filmmakers insinuate themselves into the Katrina diaspora

The Goldwater Institute takes aim at Sheriff Joe Arpaio; MCSO flack Paul Chagolla spars with KPNX.

Jen Urso and Bill Berry

The Quakes

Quiff Rock!
(Orrexx)

Desert Storm

Thousands of Katrina evacuees landed in Phoenix. How long should they get assistance?

Hello Kitty

A little-known genre of New Orleans music

Critical Fatwa

Stipe the madness

Katrina's Second Wind

Hurricane refugees jump to the head of the line -- ahead of the Valley's needy -- for subsidized housing

Storm Troopers

Black people calling Phoenix the promised land? The Katrina evacuees in the Valley haven't been getting out enough

Live Aid

How you can help hurricane survivors

Mogwai

Happy Songs For Happy People (Matador)

Time to Burn

Is the Lone Fire a preview of California-style infernos to come?

Rescue Workers Grilled in Derailment Probe

Investigators check background of firefighter, repeatedly interview thosewho responded to wreck site

THE SOURING INFERNO

LAST MONTH, THE RURAL/METRO FIRE DEPARTMENT BATTLED THE 23,000-ACRE RIO BLAZE. BUT AFTER THE FIRE WAS OUT, THE COMPANY STILL HADN'T COOLED ITS CRITICS.

BURNING QUESTIONSWHY WOULD ANYONE SET FIRE TO ARIZONA'S SCENIC LANDSCAPE?