Cordes Lakes AZ (September 20, 2012) – On September 16, 2012 just before 11:00 at night, Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the Chevron Station next to the McDonalds in Cordes Lakes, just off Arizona Interstate I-17 regarding the theft of a vehicle.
The YCSO deputy arrived within five minutes and contacted a man and woman who explained that their rental car, a silver four-door Ford sedan, had just been stolen by two armed suspects. The victims were asleep in the rental car behind the Chevron gas station when two male suspects forced them out at gunpoint.
As soon as the YCSO deputy had basic information, he quickly completed a statewide alert to law enforcement agencies describing the suspects and stolen vehicle. This action immediately increased the opportunity for any law enforcement officer to link the suspects and vehicle to the crime if stopped.
A witness came forward to tell deputies he had seen the suspects earlier near the McDonald’s and the Chevron gas station parking area acting suspiciously by looking into unoccupied cars. He described the suspects as two black males. One suspect was approximately 5’10” weighing about 150 lbs, wearing a red flannel shirt, jeans and flip flops. The other suspect was 5’6″ weighing about 150 lbs, wearing shorts and tennis shoes.
The two victims, a married couple on vacation who had arrived at Sky Harbor Airport from London, England just a few hours prior, provided additional details regarding the robbery. They had been exhausted from the flight and decided to park behind the Cordes Junction Chevron near the tractor trailer rigs and rest before continuing on to their destination. When the suspects first approached, the victims thought they were security guards.
One of the suspects suddenly became aggressive and brandished a firearm, ordering both victims away from the car. The robbers allowed the couple to take some of their clothing and luggage but stole the GPS unit, a thousand dollars in cash, cell phones, and the rental car.
The couple begged both suspects to release their passports as this insured the ability to travel home quickly and see their children. One of the suspects relinquished a purse with the passports but all the cash in the purse was stolen. The suspects fled in the stolen rental vehicle, drove towards the interstate highway, and disappeared from sight.
As the YCSO deputy was assisting victims to a nearby hotel, he learned a Department of Public Safety (DPS) officer had spotted the stolen vehicle traveling well over 100 mph in Phoenix just before midnight.
The DPS officer pursued the vehicle which eventually stopped in the 8700 block of North 30th Avenue, Phoenix. Both suspects fled on foot with the officer in pursuit. One suspect was captured immediately and thanks to a Phoenix Police Department air unit, the second suspect was caught soon afterwards. (Further information regarding the Phoenix PD pursuit and weapons search was not available as of this writing.)
The suspects were identified as Phoenix Arizona residents Devaughn Curry and Tarik McCowin, both seventeen years of age. McCowin was caught with the assistance of Phoenix PD air.
YCSO deputies met with the Department of Public Safety officer in Black Canyon City and took custody of Curry and McCowin.
Deputies recovered the victims property including the cash which the suspects had already split between them – each suspect was in possession of $500.00. Both were booked at the Prescott Arizona Juvenile Detention Center on charges including Robbery, Theft of a Vehicle, and other related crimes.
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