Colorado City chief arrested on warrants
 
By Wendy Leonard
Deseret Morning News
 
The mayor pro-tem of the polygamous border town of Colorado City, Ariz., has been arrested on outstanding warrants.

Terrill C. Johnson, 57, was booked into the Purgatory Jail late Friday. Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith said Johnson was arrested just after the Colorado City Town Council meeting.

"Our deputy was assisted by the Colorado City Town Marshal's Office who approached Mr. Johnson and informed him of the warrants," Smith said. The sheriff described the warrants as felonies for a "vehicle registration issue."

Johnson voluntarily submitted to the court orders and was taken into custody. He was booked into the Purgatory Correctional Facility, and bail was set at $5,000. He later posted bail and was released.

The arrest warrant was filed along with charges in 5th District Court in Washington County. Johnson was charged with eight counts of false evidences of title and registration, all second-degree felonies that are each punishable by up to 15 years in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Washington County Sheriff's Lt. Jake Adams said the investigation was performed by an outside agency, presumably the county attorney's office. He said the instructions to serve the warrant came quickly.

"I'm just going on what I've got," he said. "I really didn't know it was going to happen."

Johnson became the mayor pro-tem after former Mayor Richard Allred left his responsibilities without warning. Upon his release from jail, Johnson agreed to appear in court within the next two weeks.

Contributing: Ben Winslow

E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com
 
deseretnews.com
Originally published Saturday, May 27, 2006
 
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