Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever lost control of his truck "for an unknown reason" on a dirt road, leading to a fatal rollover, the Coconino County Sheriff's Office says.
Dever, 60, died at the scene following the one-vehicle crash at about 6:30 p.m. last night on Forest Road 109 about two miles north of White Horse Lake.
A news release by Gerry Blair of the Coconino Sheriff's Office doesn't state Dever's estimated speed or whether he was wearing a seat belt. There's been no indication so far that Dever, a Mormon, had been drinking before he lost control of his truck.
See also: -Sheriff Larry Dever of Cochise County Dies in One-Car Wreck on Dirt Road Near Williams -Larry Dever is a Real Arizona Sheriff
The sheriff had been on his way to meet family members at the northern Arizona locale for a hunting and camping trip.
A witness saw Dever's three-quarter-ton Chevrolet pickup truck ahead on the dirt road, then lost sight of the vehicle, then saw a cloud of dust. When the witness stopped to investigate, he saw that the truck had rolled and come to a rest on its wheels.
Read the entire statement by the Coconino Sheriff's Office below. But first, here is the statement from the Cochise County Sheriff's Office mourning the loss of Dever:
It is with deep sadness and regret that the Cochise County Sheriff's Office must advise the following:Sheriff Larry Dever was involved in a one vehicle accident near the town of Williams on Tuesday September 18, 2012 at approximately 7:00 pm. As a result of this accident Sheriff Dever was fatally wounded and did not survive. The Coconino County Sheriff's Office is in charge of the investigation.
The Dever family is aware that many will want to make contact with the family to express their condolences, however, they request that no calls be made to them at their personal residence. The Cochise County Sheriff's Office will relay all messages to the family directly. God bless the Dever family.
News release from the Coconino County Sheriff's Office:
Williams, AZ- Sixty Year old Larry Albert Dever of St. David, AZ died Tuesday night as the result of a one vehicle roll-over collision that occurred in the Williams, AZ area.On Tuesday, September 18, 2012 at about 6:40 pm emergency dispatchers for the Coconino County Sheriff's Office received the report of a one vehicle collision that occurred on Forest Service Road 109 approximately two miles north of White Horse Lake. The caller at the scene reported he did not detect any signs of life from the single occupant of the vehicle. Coconino County Sheriff's Deputies and medical personnel from the Williams Fire Department and Life Line Medical Transport responded to the collision location. Once on scene medical personnel determined that the victim was deceased.
The reporting party said he was following a 2008 three quarter ton Chevrolet Pickup Truck white in color south bound on the dirt road that leads to White Horse Lake. He said for a brief time he lost sight of the vehicle. The reporting party saw what appeared to be a cloud of dust, and as he came closer he learned that the vehicle had rolled over and was resting on its wheels.
At this time based on the reporting party's statements and physical evidence at the scene, Deputies believe that for an unknown reason the driver lost control of the vehicle causing it to leave the roadway, roll over and come to rest on the wheels. The victim has been identified as Larry Albert Dever who is the current Sheriff of Cochise County. He had traveled to the area with the intent of meeting several family members in the area of White Horse Lake for a camping and hunting trip. This investigation is being continued by the Coconino County Sheriff's Office and the Coconino County Medical Examiner's Office.
