BULLHEAD CITY — A call to the public proved fruitful after a tip led to the discovery of a man allegedly responsible for running into a fire hydrant.
The Bullhead City Police Department initially sought public assistance to identify the person responsible for a hit and run which occurred on Christmas Eve.
Although no one was injured, at about 3 p.m. a black Lincoln SUV reportedly struck a fire hydrant on Oliver Drive, between Marina Boulevard and Harbor Drive.
The Lincoln fled the scene, and no license plate was visible in the video of the incident obtained by police.
Thanks to an anonymous tip, police have identified Philip Maestas, 47, as the suspect.
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The tip, received Jan. 9, led police to the suspect’s residence in the 1800 block of Forest Way. At 8 a.m. on Jan. 10, a black Lincoln Navigator was found in the driveway.
Police said the vehicle had a large amount of damage consistent with striking the fire hydrant.
Maestas reportedly told police he had dropped his cellphone and when he subsequently took his eyes off the road, he crashed into the fire hydrant. He said no water was coming out, so he left the scene.
However, the broken hydrant reportedly caused flooding to a business and residence nearby to the tune of approximately $5,000 in damages.
Maestas was booked at the police station, issued a citation for leaving the scene of an accident and released with a pending court date.
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