5 Arizona stories to know: Dad accused in beating death of man who followed daughter into bathroom
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Here's a look at some of the top trending stories on tucson.com this morning.
- The Associated Press
- Updated
PHOENIX — A Phoenix man is accused of fatally beating someone who tried to enter a bathroom stall that was occupied by his teenage daughter.
Phoenix police say 40-year-old Melvin Harris is jailed on $100,000 bond on suspicion of second-degree murder.
It was unclear Tuesday if he has a lawyer yet.
Police say Harris drove to a convenience store on the night of Aug. 2 to pick up his daughter and her friends.
He later was informed that a man tried to enter the bathroom stall his daughter was using.
The man left the store and was pointed out to Harris, who punched him in the face and allegedly kicked and stomped on him.
The unidentified man was taken to the hospital with a broken nose and brain injuries. He died later.
- Gloria Knott
- Updated
Three people have been arrested in connection with a series of auto thefts and burglaries across the Tucson area, officials say.
Officials are investigating more than 50 different burglary and auto theft incidents throughout Pima County, says Sgt. Pete Dugan, a Tucson police spokesman. The thefts centered around businesses and construction sites.
Multiple search warrants were issued at different locations today, which led up to the three arrests, Dugan said. It is unknown at this time if more people are involved.
The Tucson Police Department is working with the Pima County Sheriff's Department in this case.
No further information has been released Tuesday afternoon and the investigation is ongoing.
- Gloria Knott
- Updated
A man was killed after his car was swept away in floodwater just south of Tucson Sunday night, officials say.
The man has been identified as 46-year-old Mark Neely.
Rural Metro Fire responded to a call of a vehicle in a wash in the 11000 block of South Old Nogales Highway, near East Lumber Street, around 7:30 p.m. last night, according to Battalion Chief John Walka.
Neely was driving on South Old Nogales Highway when he drove around a barricade and was swept into a flooded street, Walka said. The vehicle was then swept downstream into a wash.
The vehicle later flipped while in the wash, Walka said. The floodwater pushed the vehicle half a mile, a news release from Rural Metro Fire said.
Rescue crews attempted to enter the area, but the water was too high and running too fast, Walka said. At the time, crews did not know if anyone was in the car.
Crews had to wait around two hours for the water to begin receding, which is when Neely was found, Walka said.
This is the second fatality caused by floodwater the summer.
Flash flood safety tips
- Caitlin Schmidt
- Updated
The University of Arizona continues its search for a new diving coach, one month after officials scuttled a new hire after his suspension by USA Diving.
The UA announced its hiring of John Appleman in early June, weeks after the school parted ways with former diving coach Omar Ojeda.
Appleman previously worked as the manager for the Ohio State University Diving Club and was a part of USA Diving’s coaching staff. Before that, he was a standout diver at George Mason University who competed for Team USA. Appleman’s pedigree was one of the reasons he was hired; UA coach Augie Busch cited Appleman’s “tremendous stature in the realm of USA junior diving” in a June news release. Busch also said he felt “aligned with him in terms of building team culture.”
USA Diving suspended Appleman on July 12 without citing a reason. Six days later, the UA posted an opening for the diving coach position on its online job listings. As of Tuesday, the post remained open.
UA spokesman Chris Sigurdson issued a statement to the Star that read: “The University of Arizona has rescinded an offer of employment to John Appleman, head coach of the Ohio State University diving club. Appleman was offered a position in April, but his employment was not finalized.”
The statement is identical to the one given to SwimSwam.com shortly after Appleman’s suspension. Sigurdson said the UA would have no further comment on the matter.
After the UA rescinded its offer, Appleman returned to the Ohio State staff. The school placed him on administrative leave on July 13, the day after USA Diving issued its suspension, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
USA Diving did not respond to the Star’s request for additional information about Appleman’s suspension. The day before it was issued, a federal class action lawsuit was filed against USA Diving, the Ohio State University Diving Club and former coach Will Bohonyi, saying that Bohonyi sexually abused 50 divers at Ohio State and USA Diving, including a minor.
The lawsuit says that Bohonyi forced the girl to perform oral sex on him on the Ohio State campus when she was 16 and the two had sex in Bohonyi’s Bethesda, Maryland hotel room during the Ohio State Diving Club’s national meet.
One of the victim’s teammates reported the abuse to Appleman in 2014, but neither Appleman nor the school took action, according to the lawsuit. Appleman is not named as a defendant in the suit.
Bohonyi has since been fired by Ohio State. He was permanently banned by USA Swimming in 2015.
Reporters from The Lantern, Ohio State’s student newspaper, received a copy of a 2014 internal investigation by the school that concluded that Bohonyi and the minor engaged in a “consensual romantic relationship” that was a violation of university policy.
Once Appleman learned of the relationship, Bohonyi told the girl they needed to end the relationship and convinced her to change her story so they wouldn’t get in trouble, according to the Lantern.
Despite Bohonyi’s request, the girl turned over Snapchat messages of the conversation to Ohio State investigators, the Lantern reported.
Bohonyi told investigators that the relationship between the two was flirtatious and he “jokingly referred to the 17-year-old as his ‘wife’” and said she “filled the void of girlfriend,” but denied any physical contact between the two, according to the Lantern.
Appleman told investigators that he became aware of the relationship on Aug. 10, 2014, when Bohonyi called to tell him it was just a rumor, but Appleman was later contacted by two parents, Deadspin reported.
Appleman also said that he met with the girl and her mother and the girl detailed how she and Bohonyi had sexual intercourse and engaged in oral sex. In the report, Appleman said that he’d heard from several sources that there had been instances in which the girl “was not truthful,” but he had no “firsthand reason” to doubt her story.
Appleman said that he never saw any inappropriate conduct between Bohonyi and the girl, according to the Lantern.
Investigators determined that there wasn’t enough evidence to prove a sexual relationship existed between the two, but they believed Bohonyi and the girl were involved in a romantic relationship.
They also found that Bohonyi coerced the girl to lie about the circumstances of the relationship, the Lantern reported.
- Justin Spears
- Updated
Tucson native and former Santa Rita standout was not on his best behavior during a professional basketball game in Venezuela.
Stoglin signed with Trotamundos B.B.C earlier in 2018, a team that plays in Venezuela's professional basketball league. When play stopped, Stoglin grabbed the basketball out of one of his teammate's hands on the court, punted the ball into the crowd and was immediately ejected from the game. As he walked off the court, Stoglin released an expletive hand gesture to the heckling fans.
If you are going to make an exit, make it count @MickstapeShow pic.twitter.com/k0NF3O9kyM
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 13, 2018
Stoglin won a state championship with Santa Rita in 2010 and scored a city-record 2,911 points with 96 wins as a four-year starter. After his high school career, Stoglin went on to play for Maryland and led the ACC in scoring and averaged 21.6 points per game as the Terps' starting point guard in 2012.
After two years at Maryland, Stoglin was suspended for violating the university’s student-athlete code of conduct, and declared for the NBA Draft, but went undrafted. Greece, France, Ukraine, Italy, Turkey and Lebanon. In Lebanon, Stoglin once scored 74 points on 21-of-38 shooting in a game.
Now in Venezuela, it appears that Stoglin is in a more frustrating environment. Trotamundos B.B.C issued an apology on Twitter to fans following Stoglin's ejection.
- The Associated Press
PHOENIX — A Phoenix man is accused of fatally beating someone who tried to enter a bathroom stall that was occupied by his teenage daughter.
Phoenix police say 40-year-old Melvin Harris is jailed on $100,000 bond on suspicion of second-degree murder.
It was unclear Tuesday if he has a lawyer yet.
Police say Harris drove to a convenience store on the night of Aug. 2 to pick up his daughter and her friends.
He later was informed that a man tried to enter the bathroom stall his daughter was using.
The man left the store and was pointed out to Harris, who punched him in the face and allegedly kicked and stomped on him.
The unidentified man was taken to the hospital with a broken nose and brain injuries. He died later.
- Gloria Knott
Three people have been arrested in connection with a series of auto thefts and burglaries across the Tucson area, officials say.
Officials are investigating more than 50 different burglary and auto theft incidents throughout Pima County, says Sgt. Pete Dugan, a Tucson police spokesman. The thefts centered around businesses and construction sites.
Multiple search warrants were issued at different locations today, which led up to the three arrests, Dugan said. It is unknown at this time if more people are involved.
The Tucson Police Department is working with the Pima County Sheriff's Department in this case.
No further information has been released Tuesday afternoon and the investigation is ongoing.
- Gloria Knott
A man was killed after his car was swept away in floodwater just south of Tucson Sunday night, officials say.
The man has been identified as 46-year-old Mark Neely.
Rural Metro Fire responded to a call of a vehicle in a wash in the 11000 block of South Old Nogales Highway, near East Lumber Street, around 7:30 p.m. last night, according to Battalion Chief John Walka.
Neely was driving on South Old Nogales Highway when he drove around a barricade and was swept into a flooded street, Walka said. The vehicle was then swept downstream into a wash.
The vehicle later flipped while in the wash, Walka said. The floodwater pushed the vehicle half a mile, a news release from Rural Metro Fire said.
Rescue crews attempted to enter the area, but the water was too high and running too fast, Walka said. At the time, crews did not know if anyone was in the car.
Crews had to wait around two hours for the water to begin receding, which is when Neely was found, Walka said.
This is the second fatality caused by floodwater the summer.
Flash flood safety tips
- Caitlin Schmidt
The University of Arizona continues its search for a new diving coach, one month after officials scuttled a new hire after his suspension by USA Diving.
The UA announced its hiring of John Appleman in early June, weeks after the school parted ways with former diving coach Omar Ojeda.
Appleman previously worked as the manager for the Ohio State University Diving Club and was a part of USA Diving’s coaching staff. Before that, he was a standout diver at George Mason University who competed for Team USA. Appleman’s pedigree was one of the reasons he was hired; UA coach Augie Busch cited Appleman’s “tremendous stature in the realm of USA junior diving” in a June news release. Busch also said he felt “aligned with him in terms of building team culture.”
USA Diving suspended Appleman on July 12 without citing a reason. Six days later, the UA posted an opening for the diving coach position on its online job listings. As of Tuesday, the post remained open.
UA spokesman Chris Sigurdson issued a statement to the Star that read: “The University of Arizona has rescinded an offer of employment to John Appleman, head coach of the Ohio State University diving club. Appleman was offered a position in April, but his employment was not finalized.”
The statement is identical to the one given to SwimSwam.com shortly after Appleman’s suspension. Sigurdson said the UA would have no further comment on the matter.
After the UA rescinded its offer, Appleman returned to the Ohio State staff. The school placed him on administrative leave on July 13, the day after USA Diving issued its suspension, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
USA Diving did not respond to the Star’s request for additional information about Appleman’s suspension. The day before it was issued, a federal class action lawsuit was filed against USA Diving, the Ohio State University Diving Club and former coach Will Bohonyi, saying that Bohonyi sexually abused 50 divers at Ohio State and USA Diving, including a minor.
The lawsuit says that Bohonyi forced the girl to perform oral sex on him on the Ohio State campus when she was 16 and the two had sex in Bohonyi’s Bethesda, Maryland hotel room during the Ohio State Diving Club’s national meet.
One of the victim’s teammates reported the abuse to Appleman in 2014, but neither Appleman nor the school took action, according to the lawsuit. Appleman is not named as a defendant in the suit.
Bohonyi has since been fired by Ohio State. He was permanently banned by USA Swimming in 2015.
Reporters from The Lantern, Ohio State’s student newspaper, received a copy of a 2014 internal investigation by the school that concluded that Bohonyi and the minor engaged in a “consensual romantic relationship” that was a violation of university policy.
Once Appleman learned of the relationship, Bohonyi told the girl they needed to end the relationship and convinced her to change her story so they wouldn’t get in trouble, according to the Lantern.
Despite Bohonyi’s request, the girl turned over Snapchat messages of the conversation to Ohio State investigators, the Lantern reported.
Bohonyi told investigators that the relationship between the two was flirtatious and he “jokingly referred to the 17-year-old as his ‘wife’” and said she “filled the void of girlfriend,” but denied any physical contact between the two, according to the Lantern.
Appleman told investigators that he became aware of the relationship on Aug. 10, 2014, when Bohonyi called to tell him it was just a rumor, but Appleman was later contacted by two parents, Deadspin reported.
Appleman also said that he met with the girl and her mother and the girl detailed how she and Bohonyi had sexual intercourse and engaged in oral sex. In the report, Appleman said that he’d heard from several sources that there had been instances in which the girl “was not truthful,” but he had no “firsthand reason” to doubt her story.
Appleman said that he never saw any inappropriate conduct between Bohonyi and the girl, according to the Lantern.
Investigators determined that there wasn’t enough evidence to prove a sexual relationship existed between the two, but they believed Bohonyi and the girl were involved in a romantic relationship.
They also found that Bohonyi coerced the girl to lie about the circumstances of the relationship, the Lantern reported.
- Justin Spears
Tucson native and former Santa Rita standout was not on his best behavior during a professional basketball game in Venezuela.
Stoglin signed with Trotamundos B.B.C earlier in 2018, a team that plays in Venezuela's professional basketball league. When play stopped, Stoglin grabbed the basketball out of one of his teammate's hands on the court, punted the ball into the crowd and was immediately ejected from the game. As he walked off the court, Stoglin released an expletive hand gesture to the heckling fans.
If you are going to make an exit, make it count @MickstapeShow pic.twitter.com/k0NF3O9kyM
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 13, 2018
Stoglin won a state championship with Santa Rita in 2010 and scored a city-record 2,911 points with 96 wins as a four-year starter. After his high school career, Stoglin went on to play for Maryland and led the ACC in scoring and averaged 21.6 points per game as the Terps' starting point guard in 2012.
After two years at Maryland, Stoglin was suspended for violating the university’s student-athlete code of conduct, and declared for the NBA Draft, but went undrafted. Greece, France, Ukraine, Italy, Turkey and Lebanon. In Lebanon, Stoglin once scored 74 points on 21-of-38 shooting in a game.
Now in Venezuela, it appears that Stoglin is in a more frustrating environment. Trotamundos B.B.C issued an apology on Twitter to fans following Stoglin's ejection.
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