Within a three-day period, Pinal County Sheriff’s deputies arrested three individuals for Driving Under the Influence; one is an Uber taxi driver, one involved a 100 mph pursuit, and one involved a subject with a Blood Alcohol Concentration of 0.363.
On Wed., December 10, 2014 at approximately 4:44 p.m., Pinal County Dispatch received reports of an accident with injuries at the intersection of E. Cowboy Cove Tr. and N. Tourmaline Dr., in San Tan Valley, AZ. Members of the Pinal County Sheriff‟s Traffic Unit responded and were first on scene.
It was discovered that 39-year-old San Tan Valley resident, Michael Shane Estes, had fallen off his motorcycle at a low rate of speed causing severe head trauma. Estes was not wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.
There was a witness on scene that stated Estes turned left onto Cowboy Cove from Tourmaline at approximately 10-20mph. During the turn it seemed that he lost control of the motorcycle and went down striking his head on the roadway.
He was flown by air ambulance to Scottsdale Osborn Hospital. Members of the PCSO Traffic Unit went to the hospital to complete the follow-up investigation into the incident. Estes was found to have suffered severe head, facial injuries in the collision, and a Blood Alcohol Concentration of 0.363.
Estes‟ blood has been submitted to DPS Crime Lab and is pending results.
On Thurs., December 11, 2014 at approximately 11:12 a.m., a Pinal County Sheriff‟s deputy on patrol performed a traffic stop on an individual traveling 62 mph in a 45 mph zone near S. Ironwood Dr. and W. Guadalupe Rd., near the City of Apache Junction.
Upon asking the driver, identified as Brandon Pepper, 21 of Scottsdale, for his license and proof of insurance, the deputy, who is also a Drug Recognition Expert, noticed a strong odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle. Pepper stated he had an expired medical marijuana card that he never renewed and failed a field sobriety test. After being placed under arrest for DUI, Pepper stated that he was a taxi driver and works for Uber. During an inventory search of the vehicle, the deputy found 7 grams of marijuana.
After finding the bag of marijuana, Pepper stated that Obama said that PCSO was not supposed to arrest for marijuana anymore,‟ to which the deputy replied, “I don‟t work for President Obama…I work for Sheriff Paul Babeu.” The deputy further explained to Pepper that Arizona State Law states that he was not allowed to drive a car under the influence of marijuana nor could he smoke marijuana or possess marijuana without a medical marijuana card, and the Sheriff wants him arrested for DUI and possession of drugs.
Pepper was cited and released after being interviewed at the Sheriff‟s San Tan Valley Substation.
On Fri., December 12, 2014 at approximately 8:46 p.m., Apache Junction Police Department requested the Pinal County Sheriff‟s Office assist them in attempting to locate a vehicle that fled following their attempt to perform a traffic stop. The vehicle was traveling southbound on Ironwood Rd. at speeds approximating 100 mph.
At 8:51 p.m., a Pinal County Sheriff‟s Deputy traveling north of Poston Butte High School saw a vehicle matching the description provided by AJPD traveling southbound at a high rate of speed. The vehicle passed the Deputy, who then made a U-turn and began attempting to effectuate a traffic stop.
The vehicle sped through a red light at the intersection of Gantzel Rd. and Bella Vista Rd. and entered a residential neighborhood. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Ronald Taylor, 28 of San Tan Valley, came to a stop at his girlfriend‟s residence on the 1700 block of E. Silktassel Tr., in San Tan Valley, AZ.
Taylor attempted to flee on foot, but Deputies tackled him and he was taken into custody. During the investigation, Deputies learned Taylor had been drinking, possessed 4-5 grams of marijuana in the vehicle, and was driving with a revoked and suspended license.
Taylor was booked into the Pinal County Sheriff‟s Jail for one count each of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Excessive Speeding, Driving on a Suspended/Revoked License, Felony Fleeing, and Aggravated DUI.
Sheriff Babeu stated, “Each and every night, my Deputies encounter dangerous situations and individuals choosing to place others in harm’s way. The fact that one is a taxi driver, another was alleged to be operating a motorcycle at more than four times the legal limit, and the last is alleged to have fled from law enforcement traveling at excessively high rates of speed, only means each of these individuals driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol posed greater than normal threats to the public.”