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Sheriff warns of dangerous off-road-vehicle gatherings at San Francisco River and Lower Eagle Creek
Summary
Sheriff Eric Ellison told the board that large, often-intoxicated gatherings of off-road "side-by-side" vehicles at the San Francisco River and Lower Eagle Creek are creating dangerous conditions, with spotty communications, unreported accidents and trash; he said he's coordinating with other sheriffs and asked the board to be aware as he develops response plans.
Sheriff Eric Ellison reported to the Greenlee County Board of Supervisors that law enforcement encountered dangerous conditions during recent river-area gatherings, saying the incidents pose public-safety challenges and require coordinated responses.
"We had probably rough guess 800 of them are drunk and intoxicated," Ellison said, recounting his office's weekend response to Memorial Day gatherings on the San Francisco River and Lower Eagle Creek. He said deputies found massed off-road vehicles ("side-by-sides"), little to no cell or radio coverage in the area, and multiple incidents that may not have been reported to dispatch.
Ellison said the sheriff's office has begun coordinating with neighboring sheriffs and will send additional personnel and equipment to patrol when large runs are expected. He described scenarios where a single deputy cannot safely manage a site with hundreds of people, raising the risk that fights or crashes could escalate to serious harm.
On cleanup, Ellison said community groups responded to requests to remove trash left in creek areas. He also noted operational constraints: narrow or blocked roads that create traffic jams and limited access for emergency responders.
Ellison described ongoing planning rather than a finalized new policy: he said he is working to create a plan for responding to future events and welcomed offline follow-up with board members about potential measures.
