Patrick Neal Champion Obituary, Death – A 66-year-old man from Prescott, Arizona, remains unaccounted for following an incident in which another man driving his pickup truck was killed by police in the Lake Havasu area. The missing individual, Russell Thomas Vinton, was reported missing after failing to appear for jury duty on Tuesday, October 8. Prior to his disappearance, he had been camping with a friend in the Jacob Lake area, located approximately 5½ hours away from where his truck was found near Craggy Wash, just north of Lake Havasu.
On Wednesday, October 9, at around 11 a.m., detectives from the Lake Havasu Police Department responded to a report regarding the sighting of Vinton’s pickup truck in a desert area near Craggy Wash. Upon their arrival, a man inside the truck opened fire on the officers “without warning.”
According to details released by the authorities investigating the shooting, the detectives took cover behind their vehicle and returned fire. The suspect then drove toward the detectives at a high speed and collided with their police vehicle. After exiting the truck, the suspect was shot by the detectives and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The deceased has been identified as 61-year-old Patrick Neal Champion, a resident of Tennessee. Fortunately, neither of the two detectives involved in the exchange of gunfire was struck, although they sustained injuries during the vehicle collision and were subsequently hospitalized. They have since been released from the hospital.
The investigation into the officer-involved shooting is being led by the Bullhead City Police Department, as is standard procedure in such cases. Both detectives from the Lake Havasu Police Department are currently on administrative leave, which is customary following an officer-involved shooting.
Meanwhile, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, which is handling the missing person report for Vinton, has shared a photograph of him along with images of his pickup truck and a camper trailer that remains missing. The authorities noted that while Vinton’s truck and camper were not located at the campsite, some suspicious items found at the location raised concerns for Vinton’s safety.
As of now, the friend who was camping with Vinton prior to his disappearance has not been publicly identified. Law enforcement officials are appealing to the public for any information that might assist in locating Vinton and his camper trailer, which is described as a white 2017 travel trailer with an Arizona license plate number 5LA50N; however, they have warned that the license plate may have been removed. Those with information are encouraged to contact the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at 928-774-4523 or Coconino County Silent Witness at 928-774-6111.