Navajo County Recorder Timothy Jordan has been indicted and is facing charges of disorderly conduct, false reporting to a law enforcement agency and disorderly conduct with a weapon. The indictment came Feb. 11, in Navajo County Superior Court and stems from an incident on Oct. 23 of last year when Jordan, 46, was involved in an apparent road rage incident near White Mountain Christian Academy in Show Low.
According to police reports, Jordan claimed he was driving to a meeting at the school when he encountered a 2002 GMC Yukon on the road. He told officers the Yukon was tailgating him aggressively, and he believed he was being threatened. Jordan described how three men exited the vehicle, with two allegedly brandishing firearms, and threatened him. But after a review of surveillance footage from the school and interviewing witnesses, the evidence did not correspond with Jordan’s claim that the occupants of the Yukon exited the vehicle or displayed firearms. Instead, the video showed Jordan leaving his own vehicle and approaching the Yukon while holding his hand on the firearm on his waist. Witnesses also contradicted parts of Jordan’s account.
When confronted with evidence from the investigation, Jordan admitted he had lied about key details of the incident. He acknowledged drawing his firearm but stated that he did not point it at anyone. The police report also notes that Jordan cited concern over how the incident could affect his campaign as a reason for lying to police.
Jordan was subsequently arrested and booked at the Navajo County Jail Annex in Show Low. The driver, Bradoc Waite, 18, was charged with disorderly conduct and criminal damage after throwing a drink at Jordan’s vehicle and leaving tire marks in the school parking lot, which the report states caused the school to go into lockdown. The passenger, Angel Najera, 18, was charged with disorderly conduct.
This arrest came prior to Jordan’s election into office. If convicted, the charges of disorderly conduct and false reporting to a law enforcement agency are misdemeanors and would likely not impact his position as an elected official, but the charge of disorderly conduct with a weapon is a felony and according to Arizona Revised Statute 13-904, a person convicted of a felony will “face a suspension of civil rights and the right to vote, as well as the right to hold public office of trust or profit.” In addition, Arizona Revised Statute 38-291 states, “An office shall be deemed vacant from and after the occurrence of any of the following events before the expiration of a term of office: Conviction of the person holding the office of a felony or an offense involving a violation of the person’s official duties.”
An arraignment hearing regarding the charges was held on Monday of this week before Navajo County Superior Court Judge Jon Saline. Jordan has not yet retained an attorney and entered a plea of not guilty to all charges. A pre-trial hearing has been scheduled for 10 a.m. on April 14. Jordan was not held in custody but until the case is resolved, is not allowed to possess a firearm or make contact with the alleged victims.
