At approximately 7:53 p.m., on Monday, May 26, the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a fire behind the Circle K in Overgaard. The blaze, roughly 10-feet by 10-feet in size, consumed grass and an old tree stump. Fortunately, no structures or personal property were damaged. A retired police officer who happened to be nearby was able to extinguish the fire before emergency services arrived.
A witness reported seeing a suspect near the fire and confronted him at the scene. Responding deputies quickly gathered information and reviewed surveillance footage from the Circle K, which provided a clear description of the individual. At the time, the suspect was not known to local law enforcement. Later that evening, the same deputy observed a man matching the suspect’s description enter the midtown Circle K. The deputy then witnessed the individual concealing items from store shelves on his person.
The suspect, identified as Shawn Michael Bell, 41, of Maricopa, was detained and arrested without incident. Bell was arrested for reckless burning and shoplifting and was booked into the Navajo County Jail.
Sheriff David Clouse praised the actions of the deputy involved, stating: “I am extremely proud of the swift and professional actions of our deputy. Thanks to their vigilance and dedication, a suspect was apprehended before further harm could be done. We’re especially grateful that a potential forest fire was prevented, which could have had devastating consequences for our community.”
