e-Press

- UPDATE -
Speed Suspected In Fatal Rollover
North Of Kingman - Posted: September 29, 2008 4:05 PM
A fatal traffic accident is under investigation in north Mohave County. Sheriff's office spokeswoman Jody Schanaman said a Dolan Springs man was dead at the scene of the single vehicle rollover reported Monday at 2:21 a.m., about 22 miles north of Kingman.
Schanaman said the victim was ejected in the accident on Stockton Hill Road near Pearce Ferry Road. She said excessive speed is a suspected factor in the accident.

Kingman Man Charged In
Homicide Arson Case- Posted: September 29, 2008 3:19 PM
KINGMAN - Investigation of a fatal residential structure fire in north Kingman has led to a homicide determination by the Mohave County Sheriff's office. A man whose name is withheld was found dead early Saturday when firefighters responded to a mobile home fire in the 3000 block of Packard Avenue.
Mohave County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Sandy Edwards said neighbors heard a loud noise and saw a vehicle speed from the scene shortly before the fire was reported at 6:42 a.m. She said a car matching the description was stopped Sunday in Tempe and its driver, Shawn Avery Guerrero, 26, Kingman, was initially booked into jail on misdemeanor warrants.
The Sheriff's office said first degree murder and arson charges were added Monday and that Guerrero will be returned to Kingman for prosecution.

Suspect Taken Into Custody - Posted: September 29, 2008 10:37 AM
KINGMAN - A ``person of interest" is being questioned about a north Kingman arson fire, from which the body of a man was located Saturday morning. The Mohave County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) continues its effort to positively identify the victim of the 6:42 a.m. fire in the 3000 block of Packard.
MSCO spokeswoman Sandy Edwards said neighbors told investigators they heard a loud noise before the fire and saw a car speeding away from the scene. She said a vehicle matching that description was stopped by police Sunday in Tempe.
Tempe police took into custody the driver, Shawn Avery Guerrero, 26, Kingman, on misdemeanor warrants from Mohave County. Authorities consider the mobile home fire to be an act or arson, but they've not yet determined whether the man's death is a homicide.

Bell Sounds New Round In
Ongoing Walker-Fabrizio Bout - Posted: September 29, 2008 1:23 PM
KINGMAN - Mohave County Manager Ron Walker questions the investment practice of the office of Treasurer Lee Fabrizio and suggests creation of an Investment Oversight Committee to serve in a consulting capacity. Walker's recommendation is an action item for the October 6 Board of Supervisors meeting.
Walker is asking for authority to form a committee whose members would include himself, Finance Director John Timko, a certified investment advisor and others.
``A majority vote of this committee will be required prior to the acquisition or sale of investments involving County funds," Walker said, in a communication to supervisors. ``Recent events have illuminated the investment practices in the Mohave County Treasurer's Office which may not have been in the best interests of the County."
Fabrizio said investment decision-making is vested with him under Arizona law. ``They can do anything and advise all they want, but the Treasurer makes the ultimate decision about how to invest and with who."
Fabrizio previously accused Walker of election tampering after the County Manager made public a personnel report siding with an employee who brought a grievance against the Treasurer. That employee, Melissa Havatone, beat Fabrizio in the September 9 republican primary election.
The Treasurer said any committee creation or other reforms should be implemented after his term is completed at the end of December and that Walker should end his anti-Fabrizio crusade.
``I don't really care what he does...I'm out of it," Fabrizio said. ``I'll advise that they ought to be doing this for the next Treasurer, not in my term."
In his memo to the Board of Supervisors, Walker indicates the separate authority of the Board and the Treasurer might be in conflict. ``While recognizing the Treasurer's statutory authority to invest funds entrusted to him, the Board of Supervisors cannot abdicate their ultimate fiduciary responsibility for safeguarding all of the County's assets, including investments."

Havasu Area Pilot Dies In Carlsbad Crash
LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ - The pilot who died in yesterday's fiery plane crash in Carlsbad, California is from the Lake Havasu City area. The San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that 41-year-old Guiseppe "Pino" Puzzo, who worked for Havasu-based Statewide Express, was at the controls of the single engine aircraft that went down in foggy conditions. The publication added that Puzzo was flying to Carlsbad to pick up one of the company's partners -- Jon Westergaard -- and return to Lake Havasu City.
The FAA says Puzzo's Beechcraft BE36 Bonanza crashed into a hillside near the McClellan Palomar Airport at around 7:20am. The pilot had taken off on the solo flight early yesterday morning from Lake Havasu City and apparently cancelled his first landing. Puzzo was in the process of making a second approach when the plane crashed.
Westergaard told the Union-Tribune that the aircraft had recently been upgraded with new computers and the system did not indicate any problems as Puzzo approached the airport. He added that Puzzo became a pilot for Statewide two years ago and had more than 1,000 hours of flight experience. Puzzo is survived by his wife of 15 years, Dawn.
The crash is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Fatal Fire
KINGMAN - The body of a man and a dog were found in a burning home in north Kingman Saturday. Chief Wayne Eder said personnel from the Northern Arizona Consolidated Fire District #1 responded at 6:42 a.m. to the mobile home fire in the 3000 block of Packard.
``Fire personnel countered heavy fire in a single wide mobile home, and were advised of a possible person inside the structure," Eder said. ``A search of the structure revealed one male victim and a dog, both of whom were deceased."
Chief Eder said the fire appears to be of suspicious origin. Mohave County Sheriff Tom Sheahan said an arson investigation is underway.
The name of the deceased was initially withheld.

Kingman Man Sentenced In Homicide Case
KINGMAN - The first of two Kingman men charged in a December, 2007 homicide was sentenced to the Arizona Department of Corrections Friday. Mohave County Superior Court Commissioner imposed the 22 year prison term specified in the plea agreement for John Leland Neal, 20.
Neal pled guilty to second degree murder in the shooting death of Anthony Martin Jr., 28, Kingman. Martin's body was discovered off Bank Street near Cactus Wren Road, about five miles north of Kingman.
The victim's eight year old daughter and other family members expressed their grief during the sentencing hearing and said they were troubled that they've not yet learned why Martin was murdered. Codefendant Pascual Acuna, 18, awaits trial next January.

Havasu Coke Case Nets Convictions At Trial
KINGMAN - The January seizure of about two pounds of cocaine and a smaller quantity of high grade marijuana from the premises of a home and a vehicle in Lake Havasu City brings trial convictions in Mohave County Superior Court. Prosecutor Keith Evans said the raid took place at a residence in the 2600 block of Sunken Tree Drive.
Evans said the home was occupied by Timothy Lopez, 27, and his wife Kalani Nelson, 19. Both were convicted of various drug charges by a Mohave County jury.
Conviction of a possession of narcotic drugs for sale charge exposes Lopez to a possible substantial prison term when sentenced October 20. Nelson was convicted of lesser charges and is guaranteed probation at sentencing.

Sex Offence Defendant Freed Following Trial Acquittal
KINGMAN - A Golden Valley man accused of sex offenses involving a nine year-old girl spent a year in jail awaiting trial. And John Banner Morgan, 45, was released shortly after a Mohave County Superior Court jury returned not guilty verdicts at the end of his trial Friday. Some of the jurors smiled at Morgan and wished him good luck as they exited the courtroom. ``I'm just relieved," said defense attorney Shawn Hamp. ``It's really hard when you know you believe in your client and their fate rests in 12 people. I just believe they did the right thing."
Absolute acquittals are relatively rare at the Mohave County Courthouse and Hamp said he appreciated the jury's diligence and wisdom. He said the case hammers home the point that defendants are innocent until proven guilty, despite the prejudice that frequently accompanies sex offense charges.
``Sometimes we want to rush to help the victims and sometimes we let our sympathies and our emotions take over our logic," Hamp said. ``The evidence in this case just wasn't there."

Kingman Mayor Sees Economic Glass Half Full
KINGMAN - Mayor John Salem has returned to Kingman after attending the three day Governor's Conference on Economic Development in Carefree brimming with economic optimism and determination to look beyond the dismal national commerce forecast.
``It's not all gloom and doom," Salem said. ``There's a bright side to everything economically, especially in Arizona."
Salem said the conference held September 24, 25 and 26 focused on recognizing the potential for prosperity and understanding how to capitalize when the regional and national economy begins to rebound.
``I'm feeling really good about where we live," Salem said. ``Where else in the world do you have 300 days of sunshine per year and no floods, no hurricanes, no tornados, no forest fires, no earthquakes, cheap land, good schools, friendly people. Kingman is just prime for economic development."
Salem said Kingman and neighboring communities need to be progressive with marketing and employment of the internet and other information technology tools. He also said a friendly environment is necessary to welcome and grow business.
``The key to this is going to be positive attitude as well as friendly customer service, especially with respect to city government dealing with the public," Salem said. ``We need to welcome people, we need to smile at them and say thank you and we're going to work hard to help you set up your enterprise in our area."

Highway Bids Come In Lower Than Expected
KINGMAN - It looks like taxpayers are going to save millions of dollars on a highway widening project north of Kingman. Each of ten bids submitted for the U.S. 93 improvement project is well below the cost estimate of $107-million.
``It's wonderful news," said Michele Beggs, public information officer for the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) Kingman District office. An agency spreadsheet showed that a Las Vegas company submitted a high bid of roughly $93.5-million will the Seattle-based Scarsella Bros., Inc., submitted a low bid of just under $70-million.
Beggs said Scarsella enjoys front-runner status with its low bid. She said ADOT experts will review the Scarsella proposal to make certain the bid meets all requirements and that the company is in good standing.
``If everything checks out and if it looks good, they'll then make a recommendation to award this project to this Scarsella Bros.," Beggs said. She said the bid award recommendation could draw action at the October 17 State Transportation Board meeting in Wickenburg.
Beggs said other projects and needs elsewhere in the state could benefit should millions of dollars be saved on the U.S. 93 project.
Widening the 15 mile stretch of the highway that links with the Arizona approach to the Hoover Dam bypass Colorado River bridge is the primary job in the bid that includes some flood control features and construction of crossings for desert bighorn sheep. ADOT hopes to have the highway widening work completed by late 2010 when the new bridge is expected to be ready to carry traffic.
Shooting traffic straight through over the bridge is expected to accelerate travel on the main route linking Las Vegas with Phoenix. Traffic frequently backs up over the narrow and winding switchbacks on both sides of Hoover Dam.

Wash Completion Brings Relief For Homeowners
KINGMAN - State and local officials are celebrating completion of a 23 year effort for flood control improvements in the Mohave Wash. More than $12-million dollars was spent to establish a wash capable of carrying water from a 100 year flood.
The federal government has approved a map revision taking some 650 homes out of a designated floodplain area. Those homeowners, most of them in the Kingman area, can now seek relief from expensive flood insurance premiums.