Phoenix, AZ — The Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) has awarded the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) a $20,000.00 grant to fund overtime and other expenses for the upcoming “Buckle Up Arizona” enforcement campaign. The two-week campaign is set to begin on Monday, May 22nd, and will conclude on Sunday, June 4th, 2023.

As of April 23rd, Arizona State Troopers have investigated 103 fatal crashes on highways and interstates in 2023. Of the individuals killed in those crashes, 41 people were not wearing seat belts.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seat belt use reduces the risk of serious crash-related injuries and fatalities by approximately 50%.

“The partnership between the Department of Public Safety, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, and our other law enforcement agencies is critical,” said Lieutenant Colonel Deston Coleman Jr., Assistant Director of the Highway Patrol Division. “We are all dedicated to reducing fatalities both through education and enforcing the use of seatbelts and child restraints.”

From Tuesday, May 16, 2023, through Thursday, May 18, 2023, the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Task Force (CVETF) will participate in the annual operation “International Roadcheck” on Interstate 17 and Interstate 40 in northern Arizona.

International Roadcheck is a 72-hour inspection and enforcement operation led by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). During this operation, CVSA-certified inspectors in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. will inspect commercial motor vehicles and drivers at weigh/inspection stations, designated inspection areas, and along roadways.

International Roadcheck also provides an opportunity for inspectors to educate the motor carrier industry and the public about the importance of safe commercial motor vehicle operations and the North American Standard Inspection Program.

This year, CVETF will emphasize anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and cargo securement to underscore their importance in overall vehicle and road safety.

Although ABS violations are not out-of-service conditions, ABS plays a critical role in reducing the risk of collisions by preventing the wheels from locking up or skidding, allowing a driver to maintain control of the vehicle while braking.

In addition, improper cargo securement poses a serious risk to drivers and other motorists by adversely affecting the vehicle’s maneuverability, or worse, causing unsecured loads to fall, resulting in roadway hazards and vehicle collisions.

The CVETF is comprised of AZDPS Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Bureau troopers and Arizona Department of Transportation Enforcement and Compliance Division officers. The mission of the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Task Force is to ensure safe, secure, and efficient commercial transport across Arizona.

Update: Friday, June 2, 2023 - Results of Operation International Roadcheck

During the three-day operation “International Roadcheck” from May 16, 2023, through May 18, 2023, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Task Force (CVETF) and participating agency inspectors completed 1,060 inspections and documented 2,374 violations. Inspectors noted 386 anti-lock braking system (ABS) violations and 67 load securement violations. In total, 77 drivers and 176 vehicles were placed out of service.

Enforcement areas included Interstate 40, Interstate 17, and ports of entry in St. George, Kingman, Topock, and Sanders.

During this operation, CVETF personnel worked with more than 100 inspectors, observers, and law enforcement partners from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Arizona Trucking Association, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, and Apache Junction, Buckeye, Eloy, Tucson, and Sedona police departments.

CVETF personnel also partnered with Wal-Mart for a special two-day “Share the Road” outreach event to educate all motorists on safe driving behaviors around large trucks.   

On Thursday, May 11, 2023, at approximately 1:57 a.m., Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) troopers were finishing an investigation at an earlier collision scene when they observed a wrong-way driver in a white Honda Civic pass them traveling southbound in the northbound HOV lane of State Route 51 near Shea Boulevard.

Two troopers immediately jumped in their patrol vehicles and reported the incident to dispatchers as they looped back on State Route 51 to get ahead of and intercept the wrong-way driver.

Both troopers intentionally collided with the wrong-way vehicle just north of Glendale Avenue, bringing it to a stop and effectively ending the threat to other motorists.

The troopers sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were treated and released from a local hospital.

The 81-year-old female wrong way driver was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Troopers determined the driver was confused and impairment was not a factor.

On the morning of Friday, June 2, 2023, an Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) Drug Enforcement and Investigations Bureau trooper initiated a traffic stop on a 2015 Honda Accord passenger car on northbound Interstate 19 at kilometer 54 near Amado, Arizona. During the traffic stop, the trooper observed multiple indicators of criminal activity. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed approximately 229.8 pounds of fentanyl pills and 9.65 pounds of cocaine hidden within the vehicle.

The drugs were being smuggled from Sonora, Mexico, to Phoenix, Arizona.

The suspect driver, 27-year-old Fernando Alfonso-Fernandez, was arrested and booked into the Pima County Jail on charges including possession, transportation, and sale of narcotic drugs for sale.

The estimated 1,042,000 pills and 9.65 pounds of cocaine have an estimated street value in Phoenix of $3.1 million. 

On Monday, June 5, 2023, an Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) trooper stopped the driver of a Toyota Camry for moving and equipment violations on northbound Interstate 17 in Anthem. During the traffic stop the suspect drove away, leading to a pursuit on northbound Interstate 17. The suspect later came to a stop near milepost 254 and was detained by troopers without further incident.

Troopers conducted a search of the suspect’s vehicle and found approximately 54 pounds of fentanyl pills and 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the car. The drugs were being transported from the Phoenix area to Denver, Colorado.

The driver, 28-year-old Omar C. Arias, was booked into the Yavapai County Jail on charges including unlawful flight from law enforcement, possession and transportation of a narcotic drug for sale, possession and transportation of dangerous drugs for sale, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Recent U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration lab tests have shown roughly 6 out of every 10 fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills contain a potentially lethal dose of the powerful opiate. Please talk to your loved ones – especially teens – about the dangers of taking unknown pills. Remember, just one pill can kill. Visit dea.gov/fentanylawareness for more information.

On the morning of Wednesday, June 21, 2023, detectives with the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) State Gang Task Force Career Criminal Unit, assisted by the Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) Office of Inspector General, served four residential search warrants and arrested six suspects in connection to an ongoing fraudulent schemes investigation.

The investigation began in May of 2023, when AZDPS detectives and ADCRR personnel conducted cell searches at a correctional center in Eloy. These searches resulted in the discovery of numerous documents consistent with a potential fraudulent scheme.

Following further investigation, detectives learned multiple victims were contacted by a company called “Debt 2 Credit Associates”, which claimed to be part of a government grant program with money to help people pay off debt. As part of this scam, victims were instructed to buy gold and ship it to addresses in Arizona.

Detectives have identified and been in contact with ten victims who have lost money, with dozens more who are victims of aggravated identity theft. Some of the victims have lost up to $200,000 in this fraudulent scheme, with a current total loss estimated between $500,000 and $600,000.

Currently, all of the victims identified by detectives reside outside of Arizona.

The addresses provided by the victims who mailed gold came back to known associates or former ADCRR inmates. Detectives discovered several packages of gold or other precious metals that were sent as part of this fraudulent scheme.

The suspects who were not already in custody were booked into the Maricopa County Jail.

On Saturday, June 10, 2023, Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) troopers and fellow Street Racing Task Force partners responded to reports of vehicles involved in intersection takeovers throughout the Valley.

During an incident at an intersection in Mesa, one of the involved drivers struck a pedestrian participant and then fled the scene. With assistance from task force partners – including the City of Mesa Police Department, Phoenix Police Department and Tempe Police Department – the suspect vehicle was located and an AZDPS sergeant successfully deployed the Grappler Police Bumper, netting one of the vehicle’s rear tires and bringing it to a safe stop.

The driver and passenger, both 17-year-old males, were detained and cited for street racing and the vehicle was impounded.

Street racing and intersection takeovers not only pose a significant disruption for other motorists, but they also endanger the lives of participants, pedestrians, and everyone on the road. Anyone caught engaging in street racing may face penalties including a 20-day vehicle impound, fines, community restitution, and the possibility of jail time for second and subsequent offenses.

AZDPS would like to thank our partner agencies for their continued efforts and support, which are critical in deterring and stopping this criminal activity.

Troopers Use Grappler Police Bumper to Stop Street Racing Suspect

Alert: Cartels are recruiting your children!

Troopers have seen an increasing trend of cartels using social media to recruit youth for human smuggling operations. These actions endanger not only the youth involved, but also the smuggling victims and our local communities.

Please help us spread the message: human smuggling is a very dangerous and serious crime with severe consequences.

If you have a tip regarding human smuggling, call the Arizona Tip Line at 1-877-429-8477 or visit azdps.gov/tips. You can remain anonymous.

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Alerta: ¡Los carteles están reclutando a sus hijos!

La policía estatal ha visto un aumento en la tendencia de los carteles de usar las redes sociales para reclutar jóvenes para operaciones de contrabando humano. Estas acciones ponen en peligro no tan solo a los jóvenes involucrados, sino también a las víctimas de contrabando y a nuestras comunidades locales.

Por favor ayúdenos a difundir el mensaje: contrabando de humanos es un crimen muy serio y peligroso con consecuencias severas.

Si usted tiene información sobre contrabando humano, llame a la Línea de reporte de Arizona al 1-877-429-8477 o visite azdps.gov/tips. Usted puede permanecer anónimo.

Cartels Recruiting Youth for Human Smuggling

Contrabando de Personas Utilizando Jóvenes