Yavapai County Wrong Way Driver Being Sought For Endangerment

On December 7, 2017, just before 4:00 p.m., a Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office deputy was driving north on I-17 in Black Canyon City when he saw a gold 4-door sedan travelling excessively slow and drifting across the fog line. While following, the deputy saw the driver check his left side mirror and make eye contact with the marked Sheriff’s vehicle.

A check of the license place record identified the register owner as 26-year-old Jonathan Bracher from Dewey, with an active missing person classification. The driver matched the description of Bracher. A passenger was also visible.

The deputy initiated a traffic stop on north I-17 at Bumblebee Road. The gold sedan failed to stop and proceeded NW on Bumblebee Road, gaining speed as it entered south I-17 driving north while passing “Do Not Enter” signs. For safety reasons, the deputy did not follow and issued a law enforcement radio broadcast alerting area patrol vehicles.

A short time later, DPS officers located the suspect vehicle near Bumblebee Road on I-17 and indicated the driver had fled. The deputy arrived at the location and saw the suspect vehicle backed into the guardrail facing north in the south lane of I-17.

The passenger remained on scene. He was hitchhiker picked up earlier in Anthem by the suspect and did not know him otherwise.

Bracher is being sought on Endangerment and Failure to Stop for Law Enforcement charges. Bracher is also wanted for Theft of a Firearm on an unrelated YCSO case. He is 6’ 02” tall, 170 pounds, with brown hair and eyes and tattoos on the side and back of his neck.

If anyone has information on the whereabouts of Bracher, you are urged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 928-771-3260 or Yavapai Silent Witness at 1800-932-3232. A tip to Silent Witness that leads to Bracher’s arrest becomes eligible for a cash reward.

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