Tuesday, members of the Yavapai Silent Witness Board traveled to Payson to recognize the officer and his squad who were instrumental in taking attempted homicide fugitive Robert Pearsall III into custody. Director Chris Wilson says Pearsall had evaded capture for approximately two years when Officer Eric Dunston stopped him riding a moped for a traffic violation in the early morning hours of July 22-nd. Pearsall fled on the moped when the officer asked for identification and was taken into custody after a vehicle pursuit and short foot chase. During the arrest, Pearsall dropped a gun he had been carrying and punched Officer Dunston multiple times before being handcuffed. An additional handgun was also found on Pearsall’s person. Although Pearsall provided a false name, Officer Dunston later determined the suspect to be the fugitive wanted in Yavapai County. Wilson says in 2018 Pearsall attacked a man at a campsite, striking him multiple times with a large board causing serious injury. He fled before a conviction was reached. Pearsall has now been sentenced to a 28-years in prison for the 2018 crime and is now facing new charges.
