Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – Bobby Joe Reynolds was arrested for aggravated DUI on Thursday, April 21, after allegedly crashing a recently purchased motorcycle and then fleeing from the scene.
According to a Safford Police report, a witness saw a man crash a motorcycle in the area of 8th Avenue and 10th Street and then get up and stumble away from the bike. The caller advised that the rider appeared to be intoxicated and had left the scene with only one boot on his foot.
Upon arrival at the scene, an officer located the bike and checked its registration. The registered owner was contacted, and he advised that he had recently sold the bike to Reynolds.
Officers then went to Reynolds’ house on 7th Avenue, where a juvenile occupant advised that Reynolds had left to get his girlfriend to help him recover a motorcycle that he had wrecked.
While at the residence, Reynolds arrived with a female. Reynolds was not wearing any footwear and appeared to be intoxicated. When asked about the motorcycle, he allegedly asked the woman and juvenile to begin video recording the officers.
After reading his Miranda Rights, Reynolds allegedly became argumentative and belligerent and refused to answer the officer’s questions. The female, however, advised that Reynolds showed up at her backyard without any shoes on and said he had wrecked his motorcycle and asked for her help in retrieving it. A boot that matched the one left at the scene was found inside Reynolds’ residence.
After initially advising that a 15-year-old juvenile was operating the motorcycle when the crash occurred, Reynolds allegedly admitted he was the only one riding it and said he hit a rock and that was why he crashed. He also rated his level of intoxication as a five out of 10 and said he hadn’t had anything to drink after the crash.
During the DUI investigation, officers learned Reynolds did not have a valid license due to his being revoked due to two previous DUI convictions and that he was currently on probation.
After retrieving blood for testing purposes, Reynolds was released from police custody. Possible charges, including aggravated DUI, are pending lab test analysis of Reynolds’ blood and review by prosecutors.
