Teh One Who Knocks
11-03-2015, 12:27 PM
12 News, Phoenix
http://i.imgur.com/Hm8vyudl.jpg
A 62-year-old man was arrested after allegedly leaving his 5-year-old granddaughter alone in the desert with a loaded handgun, cocked and ready to fire.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office says that Paul Rater from Buckeye left his home Sunday night with his granddaughter and four-and-a-half hours later the pair was reported missing to a deputy in the area on an unrelated call.
At about 5 p.m., Rater's daughter, who is the girl's mother, told deputies that Rater left with the girl, Emily, to go for a ride in his new silver Dodge pickup truck. Emily's mother did not know where they went and did not have a way of contacting Rater because he left his cellphone at home.
Rater was described as a 62-year-old man with no known health issues or prior criminal history.
Deputies began gathering information but at roughly 5:45 p.m., the woman's mother called her to let her know that she found Emily with the help of an off-duty firefighter. Emily's grandmother told her daughter that the girl was found in the desert holding a fully-loaded, semi-automatic handgun. The handgun was found to be fully loaded, with one round in the chamber and the hammer locked back, authorities said, adding that the weapon was ready to fire.
At about 6 p.m., Emily's grandmother called her daughter to tell her Rater called her and told her to pick him up from the South Buckeye Equestrian Center, a bar, restaurant and feed store at 10300 S. Miller Road.
A deputy went to the location and spoke with Rater, who told him he had left Emily under a tree with a handgun in the desert because she was complaining she couldn't walk anymore, according to arrest records. Rater said he had walked for about five hours and ended up at the Equestrian Center.
According to the records, Rater said that he did leave his granddaughter in the desert area with his .45 caliber pistol while he left to get help and while he was looking for help he came across multiple people but never thought he should call 911. He said he did ask the people to look for his granddaughter because he left her in the desert, documents say.
Employees at the Equestrian Center told deputies that Rater arrived at about 5:30 p.m. and asked if they served hard liquor; he was told no. He reportedly ordered two cans of soda and drank them quickly then he ordered two Smirnoff Ice malt beverages and after drinking them he ordered a third Smirnoff and a Not Your Father's Root Beer alcoholic drink. Employees said he also ordered a jalapeno cheeseburger and then asked to use the phone.
Documents state that employees told Rater that the phone was behind the bar and he was offered an employee's cellphone. He took the cellphone and walked away from the bar and made two phone calls to his wife. The employees told authorities that they heard him yelling at his wife saying, "get... to the feed store and pick me up." The employee was concerned and took her phone back.
During the time Rater was at the bar he did not mention anything about his granddaughter and did not ask for anyone to call 911, an employee said. Rater complained about having been stuck in the desert and walking for approximately 10 miles and he complained of being hungry and thirsty, the deputy was told. But, the employee said, it was not until approximately two minutes prior to the arrival of law enforcement that Rater mentioned he left his granddaughter in the desert.
Rater admitted to leaving the girl while he went to grab drinks and a cheeseburger, according to MCSO. He was arrested and booked into Fourth Avenue Jail on two counts of child abuse and one count of child endangerment.
The 5-year-old was unharmed and returned to her mother.
http://i.imgur.com/Hm8vyudl.jpg
A 62-year-old man was arrested after allegedly leaving his 5-year-old granddaughter alone in the desert with a loaded handgun, cocked and ready to fire.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office says that Paul Rater from Buckeye left his home Sunday night with his granddaughter and four-and-a-half hours later the pair was reported missing to a deputy in the area on an unrelated call.
At about 5 p.m., Rater's daughter, who is the girl's mother, told deputies that Rater left with the girl, Emily, to go for a ride in his new silver Dodge pickup truck. Emily's mother did not know where they went and did not have a way of contacting Rater because he left his cellphone at home.
Rater was described as a 62-year-old man with no known health issues or prior criminal history.
Deputies began gathering information but at roughly 5:45 p.m., the woman's mother called her to let her know that she found Emily with the help of an off-duty firefighter. Emily's grandmother told her daughter that the girl was found in the desert holding a fully-loaded, semi-automatic handgun. The handgun was found to be fully loaded, with one round in the chamber and the hammer locked back, authorities said, adding that the weapon was ready to fire.
At about 6 p.m., Emily's grandmother called her daughter to tell her Rater called her and told her to pick him up from the South Buckeye Equestrian Center, a bar, restaurant and feed store at 10300 S. Miller Road.
A deputy went to the location and spoke with Rater, who told him he had left Emily under a tree with a handgun in the desert because she was complaining she couldn't walk anymore, according to arrest records. Rater said he had walked for about five hours and ended up at the Equestrian Center.
According to the records, Rater said that he did leave his granddaughter in the desert area with his .45 caliber pistol while he left to get help and while he was looking for help he came across multiple people but never thought he should call 911. He said he did ask the people to look for his granddaughter because he left her in the desert, documents say.
Employees at the Equestrian Center told deputies that Rater arrived at about 5:30 p.m. and asked if they served hard liquor; he was told no. He reportedly ordered two cans of soda and drank them quickly then he ordered two Smirnoff Ice malt beverages and after drinking them he ordered a third Smirnoff and a Not Your Father's Root Beer alcoholic drink. Employees said he also ordered a jalapeno cheeseburger and then asked to use the phone.
Documents state that employees told Rater that the phone was behind the bar and he was offered an employee's cellphone. He took the cellphone and walked away from the bar and made two phone calls to his wife. The employees told authorities that they heard him yelling at his wife saying, "get... to the feed store and pick me up." The employee was concerned and took her phone back.
During the time Rater was at the bar he did not mention anything about his granddaughter and did not ask for anyone to call 911, an employee said. Rater complained about having been stuck in the desert and walking for approximately 10 miles and he complained of being hungry and thirsty, the deputy was told. But, the employee said, it was not until approximately two minutes prior to the arrival of law enforcement that Rater mentioned he left his granddaughter in the desert.
Rater admitted to leaving the girl while he went to grab drinks and a cheeseburger, according to MCSO. He was arrested and booked into Fourth Avenue Jail on two counts of child abuse and one count of child endangerment.
The 5-year-old was unharmed and returned to her mother.