Two arrested after home invasion, chase

This was the headline in the paper yesterday. Although pretty mundane as headlines go, I was privy to the chase that ensued after the 'invasion'.

I was on my way to school, and at an intersection I had to stop for car after car of state troopers and local police as they sped by. Four units went by, then I went on my way, following in the wake. It was less than a minute before I had to pull over to allow more state and local units by, sirens blaring. I thought it must be really big for so many cops to be involved. I called my wife and told her about it, and she agreed and promised to watch the updates online. I quipped that it was quite possible it really wasn't big, the cops in the area really have nothing better to do. I was only half joking.

Here is the explanation for the incident from the paper...

Two people were arrested Thursday morning after investigators say the gun-toting pair rushed into a home on the far Northwest Side and beat the homeowner.

The incident occurred shortly after 8 a.m. when two people knocked on the door of a home in the 10300 block of West Massingale Road, east of North Sandario Road, said Deputy Dawn Barkman, a Pima County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman. The owner opened the door and the pair forced their way inside, she said. They tied him up and assaulted him before leaving in a Toyota Tundra, Barkman said.

Deputies heading to the home spotted the Tundra and a chase ensued. They headed east on West Picture Rocks Road through Saguaro National Park, she said. Picture Rocks turns into North Wade Road. At Wade and West Ina Road, deputies spiked the tires and the Tundra came to a stop just west of Interstate 10 near the Red Roof Inn hotel.

The woman driving ran away but was caught, Barkman said. The male passenger was arrested without incident. A bomb squad was called when deputies discovered a suspicious package in his pocket. It is unclear what was inside the package, Barkman said.

Julia Nicole Leon, 27, was charged with domestic-violence-related aggravated assault, kidnapping, armed robbery, auto theft and fleeing from law enforcement. Toby Ryan Putman, 32, was charged with aggravated assault, kidnapping, armed robbery and prohibited possessor of a firearm. They were booked into the Pima County jail.

Investigators said Leon had lived at the house with the victim until recently.

I'm just guessing, but this is a simple domestic dispute. An old girlfriend showed up at the ex's house, with a new boyfriend, and they beat the shit out of the old boyfriend. Yep, a crime worthy of all the law enforcement attention. There were at least ten cars in on this 'chase'. It seems my assessment was accurate after all.