Schools go into precautionary lockdown

Two Yuma schools were placed on lockdown for about 25 minutes Tuesday afternoon as a precautionary measure while police investigated a report of a domestic violence incident that had happened at a residence in the area.

Sgt. Leanne Worthen, a spokeswoman for the Yuma Police Department, said just before noon police received a call from Alice Byrne School reporting a parent on the school grounds who had been involved in a recent domestic violence altercation.

“She was visibly upset and they made the phone call,” Worthen said.

Worthen said as officers were responding to the call they received information that a gun may have been used in the altercation and that the male who was involved may still be in the area of the school.

“So the decision was made to err on the side of caution and do a precautionary lockdown of Alice Byrne,” Worthen said.

Shortly afterward, an officer spotted the man driving in the area of Woodard Junior High School and conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle. No gun, however, was found.

“He goes past the school and we stop him,” Worthen said. “Woodard was locked down as a precaution because we kind of were in the area and stopped the vehicle not to far from the school.”

Worthen said the male suspect was arrested on charges of assault, disorderly conduct and criminal damage per domestic violence and booked into the Yuma County jail.

James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854. Find him on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/YSJamesGilbert or on Twitter @YSJamesGilbert.