Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: Ruben Arriaga, 38, of Safford, was arrested and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility after fleeing from a traffic stop.
By Jon Johnson
GRAHAM COUNTY – A man with several warrants for his arrest added new charges and damaged his vehicle after fleeing from law enforcement Friday night.
Ruben Arriaga, 38, of Safford, was arrested and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility on charges of unlawful flight from pursuing law enforcement, reckless driving, and driving on a revoked license. Arriaga was also booked on several warrants on charges including three counts of driving on a revoked license, possession of a dangerous drug, and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia – the last count has a $25,000 cash-only bond.
According to a Sheriff’s Office report, a deputy was on patrol when he observed a suspicious vehicle traveling from Cactus Road to Roper Lake Road. The deputy ran the vehicle’s license plates and it came back registered to Arriaga. At that time, the deputy was also informed of the multiple outstanding warrants for Arriaga’s arrest – mostly for driving without having a valid driver’s license.
The deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop, however, Arriaga failed to yield to the deputy’s lights and then ignored his emergency sirens as well and instead accelerated southbound on Stockton Road and Jennings Street at approximately 70 mph. The suspect vehicle then proceeded west on Quail Trail and Stockton Road before running a stop sign at the intersection with U.S. Highway 191 and heading southbound.
The vehicle suffered a flat rear passenger-side tire and soon stopped. Arriaga then fled on foot, according to the report, and jumped over a fence more than 20 yards away before self-surrendering while held at gunpoint by multiple deputies.
Arriaga was then taken into custody without further incident and booked into jail.
