• Police took a report of a single vehicle car accident around 8 a.m. on April 9 near the 2500 block of East Thunderhill Place. A 16-year-old driver lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a large saguaro cactus, demolishing the cactus. There were no injuries but the driver was cited for failure to control speed to avoid collision. The saguaro was on the side of the road and was valued at more than $6,000. The driver’s car, a 2008 Ford Mustang, was totaled.
• At 9 p.m. on April 9 near the 9600 block of South 46th Street an adult female was arrested, accused of knowingly striking her mother.
• Police responded to a call of an abandoned motorcycle on April 10 at 5:30 a.m. in the desert near Pecos and 40th Street. The 2011 Honda Sport motorcycle was stolen and abandoned.
• On April 12 at 8:45 p.m. police took a report of an identity theft in the 4600 block of East Lavender Lane. The victim claimed someone had gotten a hold of their Social Security number and information and used their credit cards. At 9:40 p.m. on April 12 police responded to a shoplifting call near the 4600 block of East Chandler Boulevard. An adult female was arrested. Police were called back to the area at 10:52 p.m. for a shoplifter in custody. When police made contact with the suspect they found he was also in possession of dangerous drugs. He was arrested.
• At 11:20 p.m. on April 12 police responded to a hit and run accident. A man is accused of driving eastbound in the westbound lanes on Ray Road near the 3100 block of East Ray Road. His car side swiped by another car. The person in that vehicle followed the driver who went to a home in the Equestrian Estates area. Police responded to the home and arrested the man for suspicion of driving impaired.
• At 12:45 p.m. on April 13 police got a call of a theft in the 5100 block of East Guadalupe Road. The victim said a person had taken furniture they had for sale without paying. Two suspects were identified. Between 1 and 2 p.m. police responded to a call of a theft from a residence near the 13800 block of South 44th Street on April 13. A suspect accused of stealing jewelry from the home has been identified.
• Around 4:30 p.m. on April 13 police responded to a burglary from vehicle near the 5000 block of East Ray Road. A house key and a package of cigarettes were taken.
• Police responded to a shoplifting incident at 8:30 p.m. on April 13 near the 4000 block of East Chandler Boulevard. The suspects exited the store without paying for two bottles of vodka. The suspects were not located.
• Police responded to a call of a runaway 16-year-old around 8:30 p.m. on April 14. The teen lived near the 5100 block of East La Puente Drive.
• Police responded to a domestic violence incident around 11:10 p.m. on April 14 near the 3400 block of East Chandler Boulevard. The incident was between an adult brother and sister. There were no arrests, but an order of protection will be issued.
• Police arrested an 18-year-old man for impaired driving around 2:47 a.m. on April 14 near the 1400 block of East Chandler Boulevard. Police received a report of a vehicle broken into on April 6 at the Pima Mountain Trailhead, 9400 South 48th Street. A 2012 Chevy Malibu was broken into and a wedding ring, purse, wallet and various tools were taken. Police estimate a loss of $1,600. Another vehicle was broken into at the same location on April 17 around 1 p.m. A diaper bag was taken from that vehicle.

“Those three seconds I took my eyes off the road changed my life forever.”

In recent national news, three major car crashes claimed the lives of 15 teenagers in Ohio, Illinois and Texas. Unfortunately, that is more of a common occurrence than we realize, and those are just the ones that made national news. The Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA) recently reported that teenage driver fatalities were up in 2012 from previous years. Until now, the numbers were beginning to trend downwards and many attributed it to Graduated Drivers License (GDL) Laws that were being enacted around the country.

Week of March 25 through April 1

A man was hit and killed on a motorcycle on Pecos Road in Ahwatukee Foothills Tuesday night after a car failed to yield at a stop sign, according to police.

The amount of emotion that poured out of Rachel Ressler nearly matched the sweat and dedication she put into her Desert Vista soccer career.

A car crashing into an Ahwatukee Foothills backyard is the last straw for a neighborhood girl.

Something needs to be done about the bicyclists on Pecos Road. They are creating hazardous situations for themselves and drivers. Recently, I was heading west on Pecos as I normally do. This time there was a van in the right-hand lane and I was in the left-hand lane. The van slowed down and made a right on to 17th Street. Just then, a bicyclist darted across Pecos Road, I swerved to avoid him, coming within 3 feet and doing 50 mph. Thank goodness there were clouds this evening because the sun is normally in my eyes at this time. Sometimes these folks are in packs of 15 to 20 bikes. And not staying on the shoulder in the bike lane, but riding in the car lane.

Since the state’s improved Graduated Driver’s License Law (GDL) went into effect in 2008, fewer families have had to experience the tragedy of losing a loved one in a traffic crash.

For 70 minutes, neither Xavier or Desert Vista girls soccer teams could find the right combination. Both teams had its share of possession although the Gators seemed to gain the upper hand in the second half.

An Ahwatukee Foothills resident was killed in a crash on Interstate 10 Tuesday night after his SUV hit the back of a truck abandoned in the middle of the interstate, Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) officials said.

Vi Koka approached it like an everyday practice, whereas Kiyoko Hashimoto thought of it as a championship match.

Some characters are so despicable and manipulative that the audience should desire to see them receive the most dreadful comeuppance. Despite all of their shameful wrongdoings though, we can’t help but hope that these characters will triumph over the alleged good guys. Who isn’t gunning to see Walter White come out on top in the final season of “Breaking Bad?” Like White and various other antiheroes, the flawed protagonist in “Arbitrage” is a difficult character not to root for. This is primarily thanks to the smart screenplay by writer/director Nicholas Jarecki and a charismatic leading performance from Richard Gere.

For the first time in five years, fatalities on Arizona’s streets and highways increased during 2011, according to an annual report compiled by the state’s transportation department.

A man convicted of child molestation two years ago and placed on lifetime probation, is accused of trying to hold an 11-year-old boy against his will in the restroom of a Red Robin Restaurant on Monday.

Many motorists have wondered what the new 8-foot-high fences are along Interstate 17 near Munds Park.

Many motorists have wondered what the new 8-foot-high fences are along Interstate 17 near Munds Park.

The dog days of summer are under way and Arizona teen drivers are likely taking advantage of this temporary freedom by enjoying more time behind the wheel. However, before turning over the keys, parents should know that summer is the deadliest time for teens on the road.

There will be a visitation from 5 to 8 p.m. with vigil service at 7 p.m. for Aaron Brandt on Tuesday, July 10 at Carr-Tenney Mortuary, 2621 S. Rural Road, Tempe.

Two vehicles were involved in a collision at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the intersection of 48th Street and Chandler Boulevard.

Two vehicles were involved in a collision at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the intersection of 48th Street and Chandler Boulevard.

As the summer driving season gets under way, AAA Arizona is encouraging parents and teens to focus on safety during what they say is the deadliest time of year for teen drivers and their passengers.

As the summer driving season gets under way, AAA Arizona is encouraging parents and teens to focus on safety during what they say is the deadliest time of year for teen drivers and their passengers.

Motorists thinking they’ve beat the red light won’t be getting any help from the state in beating the ticket, at least not this year.