Cochise County Sheriff killed in car crash www.privateofficer.com

Cohise County AZ Sept 20 2012 Larry Dever, a four-termRepublican sheriff for Cochise County, was killed in a car crash near the northern Arizona town of Williamson Tuesday night, according to authorities.Dever, 60, was driving up to meetone of his six sons for a two-day family hunting trip near White Horse Lake in Coconino County. His vehiclerolled on a gravel U.S. Forest Service road about 15 miles outside of Williams,Cochise County sheriff's spokeswoman Carol Capassaid.One of his other sons wasscheduled to be deployed to Afghanistantoday, she said.  Capas, weeping as she talked, saiddeputies were taking the news hard."I spoke with his wife andone of his sons; they again are devastated," Capas said. "His motherpassed away Friday. Her funeral is scheduled for this weekend."They are just asking thatthey have some of their family time to be private, because this is just sooverwhelming."Dever was driving a white 2008Chevrolet pickup south on Forest Service Road 109, approximately 2 miles northof White Horse Lake, authorities said.The vehicle rolled over about 6:40p.m., according to an official from the Coconino County Sheriff's Office. Noother vehicles were reported to be involved. There have been reports of other fatalcrashes over the years on that road, the Coconino County Sheriff's Office said.A witness who was driving behindDever's truck on the Forest Service road said he lost sight of the truck for abrief period of time, then spotted a cloud of dust, authorities said.Officials believe that Dever hadlost control of his truck, causing it to roll over off the road and land backon its wheels.Dever was up for re-election inNovember; he faced no challengers. His death came four days after his86-year-old mother died of cancer.Nearly always wearing hissignature cowboy hat, Dever gained national prominence in the debate over theenforcement of illegal immigration. The county shares has an 83-mile borderwith Mexico.Dever was a vocal backer of SB1070, Arizona'simmigration law, and testified in favor of it as it made its way through theLegislature and the courts. He also gained prominence when 58-year-old rancherRobert Krentz was killed on his ranch on the Mexican border in Cochise County.He spoke out when 58-year-oldrancher Robert Krentz was killed on his ranch near the Mexican border in Cochise County in March 2010. No arrests havebeen made in the case.John Bailey, a governmentprofessor at Georgetown University, said he met Dever in 2000 while he was workingon a book about organized crime in Mexico."I wanted someone who knewthe border," Bailey said. "He was very helpful. He was a prettyconservative guy, but extraordinarily evenhanded."He said Dever helped researchersunderstand the geography of the border and the mechanics of illegalimmigration."He was a helluva guy,"Bailey said. "I didn't agree with him about much, but we could sit andhave a good conversation for hours."Pinal CountySheriff Paul Babeu worked with Dever on border security issues. They stood withSens. John McCain and Jon Kyl in Washington, D.C. as the senators announcedtheir border security plan in early 2010.McCain and Kyl issued a jointstatement."We were deeply saddened tolearn about the sudden death of our friend Larry Dever. We spent a great dealof time at the border with Sheriff Dever and know first-hand his longcommitment to keeping the people of our state safe. We also admired SheriffDever's strength to speak out when he believed more needed to be done to secureour border."Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaiotweeted this message: "My condolences go out to the family of CochiseCounty Sheriff Larry Dever. His death is a big loss to the law enforcementcommunity."Dever was a sought-afterendorsement in Arizonapolitics. In 2010, Dever backed McCain over his primary challenger, former U.S.Rep. J.D. Hayworth.In 2006, he appeared with a groupof Arizonasheriffs in an effective campaign television ad for Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl,ripping challenger Jim Pederson over the amnesty issue. He recently endorsedU.S. Rep. Jeff Flake in his campaign to replace Kyl.Flake said, "We will rememberLarry Dever as the rugged sheriff --straight-talking, tough and fair theconsummate lawman."Flake's opponent, Dr. RichardCarmona, said Dever was a dedicated public servant.Dever was a 36-yearlaw-enforcement veteran. He became a deputy in 1976. He was first elected tooffice in 1996 and was re-elected to a forth term in 2008, according to theCochise County Sheriff's Office website.Dever was born and raised in thetown of St. David in Cochise County.He lived there until his death.Hs wife, Nancy, is a retired special educationaladministrator and educational consultant. They have six sons. The oldest is amajor in the U.S. Army, three work for Arizonalaw-enforcement agencies, one is a firefighter, and one attends college. Deverhas 11 grandchildren.

Source:AZCentral