No major incidents at Country Thunder Arizona, authorities say
Apr 17, 2019, 5:45 PM | Updated: Apr 18, 2019, 8:46 am
PHOENIX – Authorities said there were no major incidents involving law enforcement at last weekend’s Country Thunder Arizona festival, which drew an estimated 30,000 music fans to Florence over four days.
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday that deputies made 11 arrests during the event, which ended Sunday. Another 57 arrests connected to the festival, including 25 for DUI, were made by a regional DUI task force.
“Country Thunder turns into its own city during the four-day event,” Sheriff Mark Lamb said in a press release.
“Our deputies and staff work around the clock making sure people have a great time and are safe throughout the event.”
The festival grounds were located about 60 miles southeast of Phoenix.
Deputies responded to 215 calls within the concert and at the campground area this year, down from 227 in 2018, the release said.
The calls involved medical issues, noise, disorderly conduct, fights and assaults.
Of the DUI arrests, 14 were for drugs and 11 were for alcohol, including two that were aggravated.
The PCSO provided details about several of the arrests.
- A 20-year-old woman was arrested for fraud for using a fake $100 bill to buy $50 in raffle tickets from a charity.
- An armored vehicle driver filling up ATMs at the event was stopped for driving erratically, speeding and almost hitting a deputy. Several open containers were found in the vehicle.
- A pregnant woman was pulled over for driving 44 mph in a 25 mph zone on Price Road. Deputies found several bags of marijuana and a variety of other substances suspected to be black tar heroin, methamphetamine, LSD, MDMA and cocaine.
