Preliminary Information - May 25, 2026

The Arizona Department of Public Safety's (AZDPS) Major Incident Division (MID) is investigating a Highway Patrol State Trooper-involved shooting that occurred just after 8 a.m. on Monday, May 25, 2026.

The incident began as a traffic stop on westbound Interstate 10 near Benson, Arizona.

The individual shot by state troopers is deceased. No state troopers are injured. There is no ongoing threat to the public, and the scene is secured for the investigation.

Additional details will be released as they are confirmed and available to share.

Incident #I26031899

Update - May 26, 2026

The deceased suspect, a woman, has been identified as Berkleigh Jade Bond, 39, of Wichita Falls, Texas.

Update – June 2, 2026

On Monday, May 25, 2026, at approximately 7:57 a.m., an Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) Highway Patrol trooper was conducting traffic enforcement on westbound Interstate 10 near milepost 314, northeast of Benson. The trooper observed a white 2013 Cadillac SUV traveling 95 miles per hour in a 75-mile-per-hour zone and initiated a traffic stop.

The driver, identified as Berkleigh Jade Bond, provided the trooper with a false identity. The trooper asked Bond to exit the vehicle and attempted to take her into custody for fictitious license plates, providing a false identity, and extraditable felony warrants. Bond resisted arrest.

The trooper deployed his Taser, but Bond ran back to her vehicle, with the trooper in pursuit. Bond continued to resist, and before the trooper could regain control, Bond shifted the vehicle into drive and began accelerating, with the trooper partially hanging out of the vehicle. The trooper fired at Bond, and she succumbed to her injuries at the scene.

The trooper involved has 28 years of law enforcement experience.

Initial information indicating that the trooper was uninjured was preliminary. He sustained injuries during the incident and was transported to a local hospital. He is recovering at home.

PHOENIX - Detectives with the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) State Gang Task Force conducted a traffic stop on Thursday, May 14, 2026, near 14th Street and Baseline Road in Phoenix. During the stop, a narcotics detection canine alerted to the vehicle, prompting a search. Detectives located approximately one pound of methamphetamine inside the vehicle and arrested two suspects.

A related search warrant was subsequently served at a residence near Central Avenue and Dobbins Road. During the operation, detectives arrested a third suspect and seized three firearms—two handguns and one Draco rifle—along with three pounds of methamphetamine, over $6,000 cash, and a small quantity of cocaine.

Three suspects were booked into the Maricopa County Jail on felony charges, including drug and weapons offenses.

This investigation reflects our State Gang Task Force detectives’ continued commitment to combating drug trafficking and to protecting Arizona communities from criminal activity.

A recent traffic stop by an Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) Canine District trooper resulted in the seizure of more than 100 pounds of dangerous drugs.

On Saturday, May 16, 2026, a state trooper stopped a driver on a highway north of Phoenix for multiple civil traffic violations. Indicators of criminal activity were observed during the stop, and a subsequent vehicle search revealed approximately 111.4 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the vehicle. One suspect was arrested on felony drug-related charges.

This seizure highlights the persistent, vigilant work of our Canine District troopers to disrupt criminal activity and make Arizona communities safer. Investigational support was provided by the Maricopa Narcotics Squad and AZDPS Highway Patrol Districts 11 and 13.

Goodyear, Ariz. - On Tuesday, May 12, 2026, detectives with the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s (AZDPS) Vehicle Theft Task Force (VTTF) recovered a stolen Nissan GT-R sports car and arrested one suspect after an anonymous tip led investigators to a residence in Goodyear.

VTTF detectives executed the search warrant near Van Buren Street and Sarival Avenue and identified the stolen sports car. The vehicle, worth an estimated $75,000, had an altered vehicle identification number (VIN) in an attempt to conceal the theft.

Valdemar Quidera Jr., 36, of Goodyear, was arrested on charges related to fraud and vehicle theft.

The Goodyear Police Department Special Assignment Unit assisted VTTF detectives during the operation.

VTTF officials urge potential buyers purchasing through a private seller to verify the VIN and walk away if something seems suspicious. If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Anyone with tips or information related to auto theft cases is encouraged to contact the VTTF at [email protected] or the Arizona Automobile Theft Authority at aata.az.gov.

The Arizona Vehicle Theft Task Force serves an essential role on behalf of the Arizona Automobile Theft Authority (AATA) by working proactively to reduce vehicle theft throughout Arizona. Their work is supported by an annual grant from the AATA, enabling them to deter vehicle theft through enforcement, prosecution, and public awareness programs.

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) will join law enforcement agencies nationwide in the “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign from May 18 through May 31, 2026. During this period, Highway Patrol state troopers will conduct statewide highvisibility patrols focused on enforcing seat belt and child restraint laws. With the support of the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (AZGOHS), this effort is aimed at educating motorists and increasing compliance with Arizona’s seat belt requirements.

In 2025, AZDPS troopers issued over 13,000 citations for seat belt violations, with over 1,700 citations for child restraint violations. In the same year, troopers responded to nearly 300 fatal collisions, in which approximately onethird of those killed were not properly restrained. Seat belts, booster seats, and car seats are critical in preventing ejection during a crash and significantly reduce the risk of serious injury or death. Ensuring all occupants are buckled is not just the law—it saves lives.

AZDPS remains committed to enhancing roadway safety statewide. Through the Arrive Alive Arizona campaign, AZDPS continues to promote safe driving behaviors, reduce dangerous actions on the road, and make Arizona safer one traffic stop at a time.