May 13, 2020 at 6:23 AM EDT – Updated May 13 at 6:23 AM
MOHAVE COUNTY FATAL SHOOTING
Mohave County officials ID man killed in driveway shooting
TOPOCK, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities have identified a 50-year-old man who was killed in a shooting in a community in Arizona’s northwestern Mohave County. The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday the body of Jeffrey Joseph Dufour, of Topock, was found Sunday in the driveway of a home. He had multiple gunshot wounds. Dufour’s name was withheld until authorities could notify his family of his death. Sheriff’s deputies say they arrested 48-year-old Jennifer Dawn Priole of Topock and booked her into the local jail on suspicion of felony second-degree murder. An online search did not reveal whether Priole has an attorney yet who can comment on the charges.
Arizona governor lifting stay-home order, lets gyms reopen
PHOENIX (AP) — Gov. Doug Ducey will allow gyms and public swimming pools to reopen and will allow his stay-at-home order to expire as he continues allowing normal activities to resume amid the coronavirus outbreak. Gyms and pools are among the last remaining facilities that have not been allowed to operate. They can open their doors on Wednesday. Ducey warned that lifting the restrictions does not mean a return to a normal way of life. Ducey’s stay-home order was set to expire on Friday, and he said he won’t renew it.
TRIBES-CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDING
Judge: US not unreasonably delaying virus relief for tribes
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A federal judge says the U.S. Treasury Department is not unreasonably delaying the release of coronavirus relief funding to Native American tribes. The department is tasked with disbursing $8 billion to tribes that was included in a relief package approved in late March. Payments didn’t start going out until more than a week after the April 26 deadline set by Congress. Despite that, the federal judge rejected an assertion that the Treasury secretary was “twiddling his thumbs.” The judge’s ruling comes in a case tribal nations filed against the federal government to force the release of the entire $8 billion.
POLICE SHOOTING DEATH-PHOENIX
Mom alleges excessive force by Phoenix police in son’s death
PHOENIX (AP) — The mother of a 29-year-old man killed by Phoenix police during a trespassing call filed a lawsuit alleging that officers pinned down her son before fatally shooting him. The lawsuit filed Monday in the death of Hector Lopez alleged two officers used excessive force after approaching Lopez and his sister in May 2019 as they slept in a parked car. Police have said both officers opened fire after Lopez grabbed a gun and pointed it at them. Phoenix officers shot 15 people last year, including 12 who died. Police declined to comment on the lawsuit.
ELECTION 2020-ARIZONA-GUNS
Gun-control group plans to spend $5 million in Arizona
PHOENIX (AP) — A gun-control advocacy group co-founded by Mike Bloomberg says it will spend $5 million on Arizona political campaigns this year. Everytown for Gun Safety said Tuesday the money will support Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, Mark Kelly’s Senate bid and candidates running in five legislative districts. Arizona is increasingly being eyed by big-spending political groups as Democrats make gains in the former Republican stronghold. The spending on advertising and grassroots organizing is focused especially on Maricopa County, where the group sees a receptive audience in the fast-growing suburbs of Phoenix.
ARIZONA FIRE RESTRICTIONS
Forest outside metropolitan Phoenix ups fire restrictions
PHOENIX (AP) — Higher temperatures and dried-out grass have pushed a national forest outside Phoenix into further fire restrictions. Tonto National Forest supervisor Neil Bosworth says implementing the Stage II restrictions will help prevent human-caused wildfires. Campfires already had been banned on all six national forests in Arizona until the end of June. The Tonto’s restrictions that went into effect Tuesday also prohibit other open flames and limit the use of combustion power tools. Smoking is allowed in enclosed vehicles or in buildings. Violating fire restrictions comes with a potential fine of up to $5,000 and six months behind bars.
WOMAN KILLED-SUSPECT ARRESTED
Phoenix police arrest suspect in woman’s death last week
PHOENIX (AP) — Police in Phoenix say a man who’s a registered sex offender has been arrested in connection with the death of a woman last week. They say 29-year-old Humphry Dogbe has been booked into jail on suspicion of first-degree murder, sexual assault and kidnapping. He’s being held on a $1 million bond with a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 18. Police say a woman was found dead on the pavement of a commercial fueling station last Friday with her clothes partially removed. Her name hasn’t been released. Witnesses told police they saw a man dragging a woman through the parking lot. Police say some of the incident was captured on surveillance video and that led to Dogbe’s arrest.
Man caught in Kingman after pursuit in stolen police Humvee
KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP) — A man accused of stealing a police vehicle has been arrested in Kingman after leading authorities on a car pursuit. Kingman police say they received reports Sunday night that a Humvee was driving erratically and hit another car. Officers attempted a traffic stop but the vehicle continued. The Humvee then stalled and the driver refused officers’ request to get out of the vehicle. Authorities say the suspect then got the Humvee started again and hit two Kingman police cars. That is when officers fired their weapons at the car. The suspect was taken into custody without incident. Police booked 26-year-old Michael Joseph Lapeer into Mohave County Jail.
Source: https://www.walb.com/2020/05/13/latest-arizona-news-sports-business-entertainment-am-mst/
