Money & Media

No arrest in news crew attack after all

By Nick R. Martin | August 27th, 2010 | 6:29 pm | 14 Comments »

Pat McReynolds photo
Pat McReynolds

Heat City was hoping to get its hands on a nice, colorful police report about the attack on a Phoenix television news crew earlier this week. But we found out Friday it’s not going to happen.

It turns out the KPHO (Channel 5) crew never pressed charges against the man who threw some large rocks at them Wednesday while they were on assignment in Casa Grande.

Tim Gaffney, a spokesman for the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, said he reached out to the station after watching video of the attack, which showed reporter Pat McReynolds dodging the stones. (Neither McReynolds nor his videographer were hit.)

“I actually called Channel 5 and asked if he wanted to prosecute,” Gaffney said on Friday. “They told me no.”

The rock thrower, whose name has not been released, was never arrested, Gaffney said.

A story posted on KPHO’s own website appeared to have said something different on Thursday. The story said the news crew was accusing the man of assault, which would be a serious criminal charge.

But Gaffney double-checked and confirmed, again, that no arrest had been made.

Heat City left a message for Michelle Donaldson, the news director at KPHO, but have yet to hear back from her.


  • judy4arizona

    I don't like McCain and I voted for him in the Presidential election. He wrote the cap and trade bill, supports amnesty, and has been apart of the big spending that Washington is involved with.

    Thus I would have to look closely at the character of the candidate rather than going by his endorsement.

  • Pingback: Angry guy throws rocks at TV news crew | Heat City()

  • Get this guy on Posterous or WordPress now!

  • testing…

  • Bill Richardson

    According to the Arizona Republic, my Blog was dropped following a letter they received from the Tempe Police Chief Tom Ryff and his assistant Charles Cobbs. I don't know where Sgt. Carbajal is getting his information?

    Who isn't telling the truth?

    And what about the letters attacking me the NAACP sent to the Arizona Republic at the behest of members of the Tempe PD?

    The 1st Amendment is dying on the vine in the City of Tempe.

  • Bruce Reynolds-

    My name is Bruce Reynolds- I am a former colleague of Bill Richardson. I recently sent the folliwng letter to the AZ Republic after reading the column that offended the Tempe PD.

    “Tell me Bill, why do you even care?”

    This statement was made by a Tempe police official when Bill Richardson, a columnist and retired Master Police Officer asked about violent crime in their city. Having worked for 16 years in law enforcement (including 14 in an Easy Valley police department) I was appalled at the comment. It is an insensitive and inappropriate comment for any public safety official to make to anyone.

    I am currently working overseas and have been for the past 19 years. This is the type of comment that you would expect from a government official in China, Burma, India or some other developing nation where life is cheap and corruption is the norm. For an management level official of a USA law enforcement agency to have the attitude reflected in this comment is disgusting.

    The Tempe Police official that made this statement should apologize to the victims of every violent crime in Tempe, Arizona and the USA. Then they should go and tender their resignation. Failing that, the Chief of Police should demand it.

    What are we becoming when those we appoint to protect us have no heart or soul?

  • Bob Satnan

    I'd like to say complaints about Bill's work is something new, but he has long been a needed thorn in the side to Valley law enforcement. Bill understands the issues and has worked hard to champion regional cooperation to better serve residents and keep them safe. When he wrote for the EVTrib while I was editorial page editor there, MCSO was constantly calling or e-mailing to complain about his columns; the difference is we stood up to the complainers and continued to give Bill a platform to write about meaningful local issues.

  • Eleanor

    What if is the Chief who uttered those lame words?

  • Eleanor

    Thanks for writing about this Mr. Martin. The lies that have come out of the Police Department only seem to get more and more ridiculous. Mr. Richardson has been working hard to write about things that need to be addressed in Tempe. Our City is a mess and our leadership is even worse. The idea that the Editors at the Republic caved to the intimidation is apalling. There have been many people who have been caving into the intimidation tactics used by the leadership in Tempe. Unfortunately this only allows them to believe they can get away with such behavior.

  • Richard Murphey

    Hello Bruce! This is Dick Murphey also a former colleague of both you and Bill. I've been on Bill's mailing list for several years and found him driving in his effort to get east Valley Police to work better together. The old statewide criminal information organization folded and that's it, I guess. We need information diggers for every department……

  • Dave

    What stinks is Richardson's attempt to be a reporter. Bill Richardson talks out of both ends. He bashes cops on a regular basis. There is no fowl play here – Richardson is a grouchy old man who does not check his facts.

    What goes around comes around, Bill. BTW, giving yourself made-up titles like “master” officer or reporter doesn't shun you from public backlash.

  • Anyone have this guy’s contact info?

  • Phxcolumbo

    I have read Bill’s blogs on a regular basis. I haven’t always agreed with all he has said but the articles about Tempe P.D. are accurate. Violent Crime has risen greatly and the two current high profile cases are going Cold as here are no leads, per all the articles I read. Now those article came from the AZ Republic Newspaper. I can only see that as always stated the AZ Republic is a liberal inaccurate outlet where they don’t report the news but state their often wrong opinion. What ever happen to reporters like Bill Richardson who state facts? Now isn’t the time to give in to political pressure but to stand tall and state the truth. Bill keep on reporting on your own blog and keep the pressure on both the Tempe Police Department and the failing AZ Republic Newspaper. Bill state writing for the New Times, as they seem now to be the only real news outlet here.

  • Bill Richardson

    Who is telling the truth? The Tempe Police Department or the Arizona Republic?

    This information came from heatcity.com

    Tempe police spokesman also denied that the agency had anything to do with the Republic’s decision, saying no one there had even voiced concerns about Richardson’s blog.“To answer your question, no,” Sgt. Steve Carbajal said. “Nobody from the department, including the chief, has made a complaint to the Republic.”

    This information came from the Arizona Republic.

    We did receive a complaint regarding Mr. Richardson’s blog and our investigation found no wrong-doing on his part. Unfortunately, he then sent a letter that we felt was an act of intimidation. We have a strict policy that investigates any complaints against the paper without prejudice so that we insure we’re not leveraging our position in an unfair way. The public must be able to voice concerns without fear of retribution.

    Randy Lovely

    I was told by the paper they received a complaint from Tempe Chief Tom Ryff and his assistant Charles Cobbs.

    Below is the email I sent to Tempe officials after I was told the NAACP sent two letters to the Arizona Republic. A Tempe police employee made this complaint. The NAACP has refused to release the complaint, the two letters it wrote or its secret investigation of me.

    August 13, 2010

    Chief Ryff and Mr. Cobbs:

    Did either of you have anything to do with the NAACP writing multiple letters to the newspapers I write for complaining about my purported involvement in the operating the tempepolicecloset.com website along with concerns about my having a racial bias?

    If so, please tell me what you based your representations about me on?

    Also, if you were involved, did any of your efforts take place on city time and involve city equipment or any other city personnel besides the two of you?

    I look forward to an immediate and honest response.