Christopher JonesPosted on 07/28/2007 2:06:39 PM PDT by radar101
Christopher Jones
The suspect in Friday’s high-speed chase that gained national attention when two news helicopters collided above the scene shuffled into court Saturday morning with his head down and his left arm wrapped in heavy gauze from his wrist to his elbow.
Christopher Jones, 23, suffered the injuries Friday afternoon during his arrest when police dogs took him down inside a west Phoenix residence.
“I’m not a flight risk,” Jones told Commissioner Joan Sinclair during his initial court appearance at Madison Street Jail. “I will man up to what I did. I am responsible for it.”
Jones told the judge that he “blacked out” during the high-speed chase that included two vehicle thefts and led to a barricade situation near 87th Avenue and Encanto Boulevard. He said he didn’t remember the details of the chase and “woke up” in the west Phoenix residence just before the police dogs “tore me up.”
The Arizona Department of Corrections released Jones on parole in April, and he told the judge he was scheduled to get off parole next month. He also said he had done well on parole and went to work like he was supposed to and spent time with his children.
It was not immediately clear what past convictions Jones has on his record.
Deputy County Attorney Tammara Wright requested a $1 million bond for Jones. She said his actions Friday put everyone in the entire community in danger.
Sinclair agreed to the $1 million bond.
Jones faces four charges of aggravated assault, two charges of vehicle theft and one charge of resisting arrest. Phoenix police Chief Jack Harris also said Friday that Jones could face additional charges related to the deaths of the four television journalists who died in the helicopter crash.
Jones was led into the courtroom at 10:50 a.m. Saturday surrounded by five deputies in black tactical gear. He shuffled in slowly looking at the floor.
Before the judge arrived, he sat in the front row of the courtroom with his left elbow on his knee staring at the floor. He used his right hand to cover his eyes from television photographers.
During the proceedings, he silently shook his head.
Meanwhile, a “go team” of eight federal investigators arrived overnight to sort through the helicopter debris at Steele Indian School Park in downtown Phoenix.
National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Steve Chealander said investigators will drain a pond at the park to gather evidence. He said the water contains helicopter fuel, and investigators will have to take precautions to protect the park from contamination.
“We’re going to carefully drain the pond and gather any evidence that we can,” he said.
Chealander said some debris from the collision at 12:46 p.m. Friday landed on the windshield of a delivery truck, but the driver inside was not injured.
“We’re very fortunate that none of the debris injured anyone,” he said.
Investigators from the go team arrived overnight from Seattle, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. A spokesman said the team includes air traffic control specialists, engineers, mechanical experts and others who will interview witnesses.
The investigators will also interview friends and family of the four victims to reconstruct the events of their final days.
Killed in the crash were ABC 15 pilot Craig Smith and photographer Rick Krolak and Channel 3 pilot Scott Bowerbank and photographer Jim Cox.
“Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the victims,” Chealander said.
He said federal investigators will give more information during an afternoon news conference.
Please read the link in my comment #13.
How’s East Bay treating you?
I did. Could you perhaps cut-and-paste any sentences which you believe are relevant to the case at hand? I didn’t see anything about private citizens’ having an accident while rubbernecking a crime.
You bet.
He wont be charged with anything involving these news choppers or the deaths involved. It doesn't matter if they ran out of fuel, collided, pilot error, were hit by meteors, or whatever. There was no crime involved that caused the deaths of those aboard the helicopters.
Maybe I’m stupid, but I always thought it was technically illegal to chase police or emergency vehicles. I don’t know if the rules are different for helicopters, but I doubt a tv van could tail cop cars on a high speed chase.
Somebody could have had a zoom lens from hell on Camelback or South Mountain and decided to film the perp. If they fell off the mountain during the course of this, it was by their own volition.
Incorrect. The crime this guy committed had absolutely nothing to do with those choppers colliding, or the people that died in them.
If one of them happened to be a police helicopter, then he would likely be charged. But this isn't the case.
That link provides a pretty good explanation of felony murder; however, it fails to point out that there also must be an element of foreseeability to the death. One must be able to conclude that the death was reasonably foreseeable from the actions of the defendant. In this case, the death of mercenary spectators in a helicopter crash is too distant IMHO. If a cop or another driver had died during the chase, that would be a clear case of felony murder. He may be charged with felony murder because it's such a high profile case, but I don't see it sticking.
Exactly, and sadly we all saw this coming. It was a matter of time and flight conditions and we all probably thought it would be LA, but we all saw it coming. The media were not an official part of the pursuit and in my opinion the media only prolongs and contributes to these chases. Is it actually news? We know there is a chase do we need to watch every boring detail from start to finish? Is the information gathered of any real value especially considering it endangers their own lives and that of those on the ground? Of course the perps are going to put on a good show. The charges and punishments will be relatively the same, so why not go ahead and put on a good show as long as the copters are there.
Ever hear of the professional rescuer doctrine? Based on the doctrine, once cannot be held responsible for injuries or deahs not caused directly by another individuaL.
Under the doctrine, even if a police helicopter crashed in a chase, it is not the fault of the eluding person.
If the eluding person crashed into other cars or police officers; or caused other to crash into another, he could be charged.
While this guy needs to be held accountable for his actions, he is not responsible for the mistakes or stupidity of others.
Gimme' a break.
If a cop chopper crashed and killed some cops, it is still not the responsibility of the eluder; unless he directly caused the crash.
The only way to keep aircraft from colliding is to have them fly different altitudes. It is normal for helicopters to agree on an altitude for each.
Either someone wasn't paying attention or one was trying to muscle the other to get a particular angle.
Where'd you study law... DU?
Agreed!
Previous stints were with Henry Ford and U of M hospitals as well.
http://www.wxyz.com/news/story.aspx?content_id=eb6965b6-a692-4d2e-bc85-0c82c3beeeb2
I am surprised they did not whip out the terrorism law. Its written so loose it could be used on any criminal.
I guess you must have missed the last forty years. Welcome to the New America.
One chopper was flying above the other. Apparently, they had just radioed each other asking where the other was positioned. The rumor — since that’s what it is at this point — is that one tried to back up to give the other room and — that’s probably where the gust of wind came into play.
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