Vehicular Crimes Unit Detectives Make Arrest in Fatal Incident on SR 77 in Tucson

Detectives with the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) Vehicular Crimes Unit (VCU) arrested a Patagonia man in connection with the death of a 37-year-old victim who fell from a pickup truck in Tucson in September 2025.

On March 9, 2026, detectives took Jack Crawford, 52, of Patagonia, AZ, into custody for failure to stop at the scene of an accident involving death.

A lengthy investigation by Southern VCU detectives determined that on September 7, 2025, Michael Stewart, 37, was riding in the bed of a pickup truck driven by Crawford when he fell from the vehicle near State Route 77 and Golder Ranch Road. Stewart sustained fatal injuries and was later found deceased in the roadway by passing motorists. Detectives determined that Crawford did not stop to render aid and never reported the incident to law enforcement.

Through continued investigative work, VCU detectives located Crawford in Patagonia, where he was arrested without incident.

This arrest reflects the persistence of our VCU detectives, whose thorough investigative efforts help provide answers for families and pursue accountability for those responsible for criminal activity.