Contributed Photo/Courtesy SPD: Safford officers are looking for Joseph Bejarano regarding a police pursuit late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
Driver also believed to have left several identity pieces
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – Officers are on the lookout for Joseph Bejarano, whom they believe fled from them late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
According to a Safford Police report, an officer was eastbound on U.S. Highway 70 at about 11:55 p.m. when he noticed a gray, 2004 Infinity westbound with one headlight that wasn’t illuminated.
As the officer attempted to make a traffic stop, the vehicle sped away. Due to the manner of how the vehicle was being operated, the officer suspected the driver may have been impaired.
The officer pursued the Infinity with his lights and siren and the Infinity fled at a “high rate of speed” as it traveled eastbound on Main Street and ran stop signs at the intersections of 10th Avenue, Court Street, and 8th Avenue. The car then ran through a red light at the intersection of 8th Avenue and U.S. Highway 70, which was witnessed by a DPS Trooper. The vehicle then turned onto 2nd Street and pursuing law enforcement lost sight of the vehicle.
Shortly after midnight, a Safford officer located the car parked on the street in the 2100 block of Calle Montecito. The vehicle was locked and no driver was in sight, however, the driver had left a dog in the backseat.
Officers searched the vehicle and discovered a wallet in the center console that contained several identifications cards for Bejarano, including his driver’s license, fishing license, social security card, EBT card, two debit cards, medical marijuana card, and an Arizona Identification card. The officers also located a clean square piece of tin foil, a cut straw with apparent drug residue, and $86.
The registered owner of the car was contacted and advised that he had lent the car to his grandson, Joseph Bejarano, a couple of days ago. He also advised that the dog in the backseat also belonged to Joseph Bejarano.
According to the police report, the case is pending contact with Joseph Bejarano and that he is facing possible charges of felony flight, reckless driving, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
