Crime & Police

Drunk driving is bad.With that out of the way, here’s where police will be setting up “saturation patrols” around the Valley, looking for impaired drivers this weekend:…

At the end of the week, we bring you a roundup of visitors to the desert’s own Fourth Avenue Jail. To be considered for our Maricopa County mugshots of the week, get arrested, strike a pose, and we’ll take care of the rest.This week, our alleged offenders show the ups…

As police knocked on his door with a search warrant, 20-year-old Christopher Cruz made a last-ditch attempt to get rid of a stash of weed at his Casa Grande home, according to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.PCSO says Cruz tried to flush his pot — four pounds of it…

One of two men who pulled off a “beer run” at a Phoenix AM/PM convenience store repeatedly smacked the store clerk with a case of beer when he tried to intervene.Phoenix Police Sergeant Darren Burch, the Silent Witness Coordinator, announced today that there’s a reward of up to $1,000 for…

Welcome to Courthouse Update, a weekly rundown of goings on at the Maricopa County Superior Court.This week, murder retrial for a former Phoenix cop is scheduled, three people guilty of child abuse and/or sex crimes get probation, and more:…

At the end of the week, we bring you a roundup of visitors to the desert’s own Fourth Avenue Jail. To be considered for our Maricopa County mugshots of the week, get arrested, strike a pose, and we’ll take care of the rest.This week, we find some odds and ends…

Welcome to Courthouse Update, a weekly rundown of goings-on at the Maricopa County Superior Court.This week, a former band teacher pleads guilty to charges in a sex case, an attorney goes to trial on a murder charge, and more:…

At the end of the week, we bring you a roundup of visitors to the desert’s own Fourth Avenue Jail. To be considered for our Maricopa County mugshots of the week, get arrested, strike a pose, and we’ll take care of the rest.This week, our offenders each have a signature…

A Phoenix man nearly broke into a family’s house, as the man explained he was running from a Mexican drug cartel.According to court documents obtained by New Times, Leobardo Gamez, 35, said he was trying to hide because he’s in big trouble for shacking up with a cartel boss’ wife…

Welcome to Courthouse Update, a weekly rundown goings-on at the Maricopa County Superior Court.This week, the third trial in the Temple killings case is scheduled, the alleged vagina-brander enters his plea, and more:…

A Phoenix man smashed more than $10,000 worth of windows after apparently getting scared of Alice Cooper’s restaurant, Alice Cooperstown.According to court documents obtained by New Times, 22-year-old Joseph Urango got spooked after looking in the windows of Alice Cooperstown, at First Street and Jackson, believing he saw “murderers” inside…

No matter how many police reports we read through on a monthly basis, the criminal creativity, stupidity, and craziness never ceases to amaze us.Just when you think you’ve seen it all, there’s always something worse. From a teenager tossing her newborn baby out of a window, to a crime inspired…

At the end of the week, we bring you a roundup of visitors to the desert’s own Fourth Avenue Jail. To be considered for our Maricopa County mugshots of the week, get arrested, strike a pose, and we’ll take care of the rest.This week, we guess what our alleged offenders…

A Chandler man accused of stealing a pickup truck insists he’s no car thief.In fact, according to court documents obtained by New Times, 25-year-old Robert Bryson told police he only “slings dope.”…

Pedro Manzo told his wife a few days ago that he wasn’t sure whether he could handle both their own small kids and the two toddlers they were fostering for the state. He knew himself too well. On Monday, Manzo apparently lost control when the 1 1/2-year-old girl they were…

Though 95 law enforcement officers who died during a cop-related accidents or while chasing down some criminal activity during 2012, there were 125 deaths in 2011. And there were 128 intentional or accidental deaths in 2010. Arizona made the unfortunate list in 2012 with the death of William “Bill” Coleman,…

A Phoenix man arrested on Tuesday for raping his wife admitted to the act in a confrontation call, police say. Francisco Ortiz Martinez, 53, grabbed his wife about 3 p.m. on August 25 and dragged her into the master bedroom of their Phoenix home, records state…

Purdue Pharma is offering a hefty reward of up to $5,000 for information on a pair of bandits who’ve been plaguing Valley drugstores. The pair have struck seven “mom-and-pop” pharmacies between July 22 and October 21, according to Silent Witness. Bold and often sticking guns in the faces of employees,…

Don’t you hate when you misplace your car keys? Especially when you just robbed a fast-food joint, and you need to start that getaway vehicle? Nathan Heredia Perez and his brother know exactly how it feels, cops say…

A 16-year-old boy described by a classmate as a “giant teddy” allegedly beat and choked his mom to death on Saturday morning, then attacked his stepdad. Michael Roy Helms and his accomplice, 17-year-old Christian Lee Blakely, were being held on $1 million bonds and charged as adults by the Maricopa…

Welcome to Courthouse Update, a weekly rundown of goings-on at the Maricopa County Superior Court.This week, a former corrections officer pleads guilty to murdering his wife, and more:…

At the end of the week, we bring you a roundup of visitors to the desert’s own Fourth Avenue Jail. To be considered for our Maricopa County mugshots of the week, get arrested, strike a pose, and we’ll take care of the rest.This week, most of our offenders are kind…