4 Sierra Vista men linked to armed robbery, drive-by shooting arrested

Shaquille Rice, 23, was arrested Wednesday morning in the 500 block of North Seventh Street and booked into the Cochise County jail on suspicion of three counts of kidnapping, two counts of armed robbery and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, authorities said.

Rice is being held in lieu of $150,000 bail, said Sierra Vista Police Department officials.

Earlier in the week, Jaime Olivas, 41, and Joseph Buchanan, 48, were each booked into the Cochise County jail on suspicion of two counts of drive-by shooting, two counts of endangerment and seven counts of disorderly conduct with a deadly weapon, said authorities.

Olivas is being held in lieu of $80,000 bail, and Buchanan is being held in lieu of $90,000 bail.

Rashawn Avery, 22, who was arrested Tuesday on weapons and drug charges, is also facing three counts of kidnapping, two counts of armed robbery, and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, officials said Wednesday. Avery, who also is in the Cochise County jail, is being held in lieu of $150,000 bail.

According to investigators:

The armed robbery Feb. 4 occurred at a hotel in the 1800 block of East Wilcox Drive in which cash and property were taken from three Sierra Vista residents at gunpoint.

On Feb. 5, a drive-by shooting occurred near a west-side apartment complex in the 100 block of North Seventh Street. Witnesses reported that several men in a red Chevrolet truck fired rounds at people who were running.

Gunfire was exchanged between the two groups and several residences were struck with bullets. No one was injured during the gunfire.

Detectives located the truck and evidence was gathered Feb. 5 during the serving of two search warrants — one in the 1100 block of Carmelita Drive and the other in the 600 block of Charles Drive. This led to the arrest of Olivas and Buchanan.

On Feb. 7, undercover surveillance at multiple locations on Sierra Vista's west side, led to the arrest of Avery during a traffic stop in the area of Seventh Street and Wilcox Drive.

The investigation is continuing.