State Glance
Man accused of starting July 7 wildfire in Dudleyville area
DUDLEYVILLE — Pinal County authorities say a man has been arrested for allegedly starting a wildfire in the Dudleyville area earlier this month that burned more than 300 acres and destroyed one home and 13 other structures.
County Sheriff’s officials say James Brumley was taken into custody Monday on suspicion of reckless burning and five counts of criminal damage.
It was unclear Tuesday if he has a lawyer yet.
Arson investigators say they traced the fire back to Brumley’s property, where a smoldering burn pile was discovered.
Man accused in daughter’s death pleads not guilty
CHANDLER — A Chandler man accused of manslaughter in the shooting death of his 3-year-old daughter has pleaded not guilty in the case.
Maricopa County Superior Court officials say Eric Sands entered his plea at his arraignment Tuesday.
Chandler police say Sands’ daughter was shot in the abdomen on June 29 and later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Court documents show the 33-year-old Sands originally told police he was cleaning a shotgun in a bedroom when his daughter bumped into him.
But Sands later said he wasn’t cleaning the shotgun and had placed it on a bed when it discharged.
Police say physical evidence indicates the fatal wound was caused by the reckless mishandling of the shotgun by Sands.
New charges for defendants in heroin trafficking ring
TUCSON — The Arizona Attorney General’s Office has announced 88 new criminal charges against 13 defendants previously accused of operating a major heroin trafficking ring in Tucson.
Authorities say five of the 13 defendants also are facing child abuse charges.
The AG’s Office says the heroin trafficking ring was dismantled last November.
Investigators reported finding heroin and cocaine in some of the defendants’ homes where children were living.
They say lab tests confirmed the children were exposed to high levels of cocaine from the drugs being stored and manufactured at the homes.
Mesa police identify 2 who died in crash of a small plane
MESA — Authorities have identified a pilot and his passenger who died after a small plane crashed and burned on a golf course in Mesa.
Mesa police say 53-yearold Alan Ram of Scottsdale and 22-year-old Krista Buchanan of Phoenix were the only people aboard the plane that went down late Monday afternoon at Longbow Golf Club northeast of Falcon Field Airport.
Footage from TV news helicopters showed the charred wreckage of the aircraft on the 10th fairway at the golf course.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Board are investigating the crash.
Arizona school-voucher opponent hires referendum circulators
PHOENIX — A group that opposes a major private school voucher expansion bill signed by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey this spring is hiring circulators as part of a final push to ensure it gathers enough signatures to put the voucher program on hold until the November 2018 election.
The Arizona Republic reports Save Our Schools Arizona hopes to gather the minimum of 75,000 signatures by the Aug. 8 deadline to stop the voucher program from taking effect in August.
Group spokeswoman Dawn Penich-Thacker says the group is on pace to meet the deadline, but is contracting “with a handful” of paid circulators as an “insurance policy.”