YAVAPAI COUNTY, Ariz. — A man was recently arrested in Yavapai County for allegedly impersonating a firefighter and causing panic by instructing residents in Congress to evacuate their homes.
The sheriff's office said Thursday that deputies were notified about a man going around neighborhoods claiming to be a Yarnell firefighter and incorrectly telling them they needed to exit their homes due to the burning wildfires.
Doorbell video footage allegedly captured the man telling residents he was with the "fire department."
The Hillside Fire has been burning in the rural area north of Congress since Wednesday and YCSO is responsible for issuing any evacuation orders.
The Yarnell fire chief told deputies the suspicious firefighter had been let go from the fire department several months ago.
Deputies later tracked down the man, identified as Patrick Parent, and allegedly found firefighting gear in his vehicle. He was taken into custody and could be facing charges of impersonating a public servant, causing a criminal nuisance and disorderly conduct.
UP TO SPEED
What is the Valley?:
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.
