Woman who tried to drown her baby in Lake Mead sentenced
PHOENIX (AP) — A Bullhead City woman has been sentenced to nearly three years for trying to drown her infant daughter in Lake Mead.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for Arizona says 33-year-old...
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Tuesday’s Scores
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Evidentiary hearing for man accused of killing Arizona girl
KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP) — A March 4 evidentiary hearing has been set for a man awaiting sentencing in the death of an 8-year-old Bullhead City girl.
At a hearing Monday in Kingman, a Mohave County Superior Court judge vacated the judgment and sentencing of Justin James Rector that were scheduled for Wednesday.
The 30-year-old Rector pleaded guilty in December to first-degree murder after deciding to represent himself in the case, but now wants to withdraw his plea.
Friday’s Scores
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Agua Fria 50, Willow Canyon 44
Anthem Prep 57, San Pasqual, Winterhaven, Calif. 45
Man who pleaded guilty in girl’s death wants to change plea
KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP) — A man awaiting sentencing in the death of an 8-year-old Bullhead City girl says he wants to withdraw his plea.
Justin James Rector had pleaded guilty in December to first-degree murder after deciding to represent himself in the case. Authorities say Isabella Grogan-Cannella had been strangled in September 2014.
Rector wrote a brief note to the judge saying the plea agreement was unjust and wants a chance to explain.
Bullhead City woman turns in sons for daycare burglary
BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities say two teenage brothers are facing charges of burglarizing a Bullhead City daycare center after their mother reported them.
Bullhead City police say the mother overheard her 15 and 14-year-old sons arguing just after midnight Tuesday.
She told investigators she determined they had just broken into the daycare center. They had stolen checks, electronics and the center's van.
Arizona man pleads guilty in double murder case
KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP) — An Arizona man has pleaded guilty in a double murder case.
The Mohave Valley Daily News reports Francisco Javier Romero Jr. of Bullhead City pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of first-degree murder and kidnapping.
He had been held on a $10 million bond before entering the plea.
Arizona man pleads guilty to killing 8-year-old girl
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A man charged in the killing of an 8-year-old Bullhead City girl four years ago pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder, days after he made a surprising decision to represent himself in the case.
Justin James Rector entered the plea in Mohave County Superior Court. He will be sentenced to life in prison with a possibility of parole after 35 years, according to the plea agreement. A judge has the final say at a sentencing hearing set for Jan. 30.
The Latest: Slain girl’s grandma says guilty plea is relief
KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP) — The Latest on a guilty plea in the case of a Bullhead City girl who was killed in 2014 (all times local):
4:45 p.m.
The grandmother of a Bullhead City girl who was killed in 2014 says she's relieved the defendant has pleaded guilty.
Justin James Rector pleaded guilty Tuesday to a first-degree murder charge in the death of 8-year-old Isabella "Bella" Grogan.
Her grandmother, Toni Page, says she had grown frustrated waiting for justice.
Friday’s Scores
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Wednesday’s Scores
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Basis High School 54, Heber Mogollon 19
Gilbert Christian 61, Northwest Christian 44
Gilbert Classical Academy 54, Veritas Prep 26
Glendale Ironwood 94, Willow Canyon 58
Mohave Accelerated 57, Phoenix School-Deaf 45
Mohave Valley River Valley 40, Bullhead City Mohave 34
North Valley Christian Academy 73, North Phoenix Preparatory 16
Bullhead City motorcyclist dies after collision with a car
BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities in northwestern Arizona say a Bullhead City motorcyclist is dead after a collision with a car.
Bullhead City police say 52-year-old Richard Tynda was pronounced dead at the scene of Saturday night's accident.
They say Tynda's motorcycle was struck by a vehicle that was making a turn at an intersection.
Suspect in Bullhead City girl’s death seeks to be own lawyer
BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (AP) — A man charged in the killing of an 8-year-old Bullhead City girl is asking to represent himself in court, a surprise move in a case that has been delayed for years with defense attorney turnover and other issues.
Justin James Rector told a Mohave County Superior Court judge on Tuesday that he wants to be his own attorney at his upcoming murder trial. The judge cautioned him against it.
Monday’s Scores
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American Leadership-Queen Creek 71, Peoria Centennial 68
Casteel High School 81, Florence 72
Chandler 72, Avondale Westview 58
Chinle 63, Holbrook 37
Corona Del Sol 54, Boulder Creek 47
Douglas 63, Tanque Verde 25
Gilbert 65, Mesa Desert Ridge 41
Gilbert Highland 69, American Leadership-Queen Creek 60
Kingman jail officer is accused of bringing drugs to inmates
KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP) — A Mohave County sheriff's detention officer has been arrested for allegedly bringing drugs and contraband to inmates.
Authorities say 24-year-old Ashley Desiree Aquino of Bullhead City was taken into custody Monday.
That was after the Mohave Area General Narcotics Enforcement Team and other agencies reported receiving information that a detention officer was bringing heroin to the Kingman jail.
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- Mohave Valley Daily NewsDisciplinary issues at Fox Creek Junior High spur concernsApril 21, 2019
- Mohave Valley Daily NewsSecond person pleads guilty in Fort Mohave double murderApril 21, 2019
- Mohave Valley Daily NewsCommunity Watch, Sunday, April 21, 2019April 21, 2019
- Mohave Valley Daily NewsPlea deal sends Fort Mohave man back to prisonApril 21, 2019
Prosecutors slam delays in Bullhead City girl killing case
KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP) — Mohave County prosecutors have expressed frustration over waiting years for a case involving a man accused in the killing of a Bullhead City, Arizona, child after years of delays and new defense attorneys.
Mohave County Deputy Attorney Greg McPhillips said those delays need to stop, the Today's News-Herald newspaper reported.
Arizona sheriff plans for registry of dementia patients
BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (AP) — The Mohave County Sheriff's Office is planning to create a registry of Alzheimer's and other dementia patients to help authorities find them more quickly if they go missing.
Cost of defense for murder suspect nears $1 million
KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP) — The cost to defend an Arizona murder suspect already is approaching a million dollars and the suspect's trial isn't until April.
Mohave County inmate awaiting sentencing found dead in jail
KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the death of a Mohave County jail inmate awaiting sentencing after being convicted of manslaughter and other charges in a 2015 car crash.
Andrew Smith-Hartfield of Bullhead City was found dead in his cell early Thursday in Kingman.
County sheriff's officials say the 28-year-old Smith-Hartfield was housed alone and foul play isn't suspected.
Dolan Springs man convicted of attempted murder
BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (AP) — A Dolan Springs man was convicted of attempted murder for grazing another man in the head with a bullet during a 2017 dispute.
The Mohave Valley Daily News reports that 67-year-old William Albert Derrico was found guilty late Friday of attempted second-degree murder, drive-by shooting and aggravated assault.
Patrol: Teen driving stolen SUV kills 3 in Minneapolis crash
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota State Patrol says three people were killed when a stolen SUV driven by a teenager crashed into their pickup at an intersection in south Minneapolis.
The crash happened around 1:15 a.m. Sunday. The patrol says the Ford Escape was being chased earlier by troopers, but the pursuit ended before the Escape collided with the pickup.
Trial date set in 2014 killing of Bullhead City girl
KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP) — A judge has set a trial date for a man charged with killing a Bullhead City girl four years ago.
Justin James Rector is set to be tried on first-degree murder, kidnapping, child abuse and abandonment of a body in late April.
A Mohave County judge set the trial date Friday over the objection of Rector's attorney.
Volunteers help make travel up treacherous road safer
KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP) — Volunteers help workers, tourists and walkers climbing the hill to Union Pass from Bullhead City toward Kingman fight the desert heat by providing jugs of water along the treacherous road.
California woman dies in jet ski accident on Colorado River
LAUGHLIN, Nev. (AP) — Authorities say a California woman has died after the jet ski she was riding collided with a boat on the Colorado River near Laughlin, Nevada.
The name and hometown of the 43-year-old woman wasn't immediately released.
Witnesses reported the jet ski was traveling at a high rate of speed Sunday night when it struck the front of a rental jet boat near the buoy line at Davis Dam.
State Police: Arizona woman killed in New Mexico car crash
GALLUP, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say an Arizona woman has been killed in a car crash in New Mexico near Gallup.
New Mexico State Police say 22-year-old Lyric Young of Bullhead City was driving at a high rate of speed on Interstate 40 between Gallup and Grants about 10:30 p.m. Saturday.
They say Young's car struck the back of a truck that was pulling a flatbed trailer and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Storm causes power outage in some northwestern Arizona towns
BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (AP) — Nearly 23,000 Mohave Electric Cooperative customers are without power in northwestern Arizona after a storm disabled a transformer.
Cooperative officials say the towns affected by the outage that began about 7:30 p.m. Saturday include Bullhead City, Mohave, Mohave Valley and the surrounding areas.
They say crews were working Sunday to restore power to the area.
Laughlin River Regatta organizers aim to keep it clean
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Organizers have stepped up trash collection for the Laughlin River Regatta tubing event, two years after 31,000 people left piles of garbage in and around the river.
Marnell Gaming, which owns Colorado Bell and Edgewater in Laughlin, paid $100,000 for rights to the tubing event's trademarks, social media accounts, website, logos and use of the land from Bullhead City, Arizona, according to city documents.
Dog shot after police respond to neighbor dispute
BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities say a dog shot and wounded by a Bullhead City police officer has been euthanized.
In a statement, Bullhead City police say officers had arrived at a residence in the Arizona town near the Nevada state line early Friday afternoon, when a man opened the door and the dog ran at officers biting one of them twice.
The owner was able to put the dog back inside before the dog emerged from the home a second time and charged at officers again.
Walking in and out for education: Teachers, supporters stage two types of protests
BULLHEAD CITY — Area teachers took two different approaches with one unified purpose a couple of blocks apart Thursday morning.
Their goal: drawing attention to what they see as a shortage of dollars being put into education in Arizona.
Their methods: a “walk-in” near Mohave High School and a walkout by educators from Bullhead City elementary schools.
Educators across the state are protesting for better teacher pay, raises for support staff and more state aid for education.
Local teachers to join walkout; BHC schools to run shortened schedule Thursday
BULLHEAD CITY — Schools in Bullhead City will be open Thursday — with a modified schedule — but many of the district’s teachers won’t be in the classrooms.
Mohave County Supervisor Lois Wakimoto: Opposition to water transfer having an impact
Mohave County Supervisor Lois Wakimoto thinks there’s unease on the part of Central Arizona Project board members regarding a proposed water transfer from Mohave Valley.
Wakimoto says it’s a sign that efforts to protest the sale in Mohave County have had some impact in Phoenix.
“When we were at the last CAP board meeting there was a member, Terry Goddard, who moved to cancel the sale,” Wakimoto said. “For a CAP board member to do that tells me some of them are rethinking the whole issue.”
Regulator hears from residents about EPCOR proposal at town hall
BULLHEAD CITY — Their message was clear and united. The parade of speakers who stepped to the podium at Monday night’s town hall visit by Arizona Corporation Commissioner Andy Tobin all were opposed to the proposed consolidation of water districts operated by EPCOR Water.
WITHOUT A ROOF: Mohave County communities have different approaches to homelessness
Body Beach is being cleared of trash and brush in hopes that it will prevent future homeless encampments from forming in the area.
The cleanup, however, won’t make Lake Havasu City’s homeless population disappear.
Homelessness in Havasu, like many Arizona communities, is a growing concern. While Lake Havasu City has no plans to provide services such as a shelter or transitional housing, other communities in Mohave County have different approaches to the problem.