Chandler Police Lose Two Officers in One Week

Officer David Payne

Chandler Police lose two officers in one week.

Officer David Payne, 37 (pictured above), was killed after being rear-ended at an intersection near Chandler Boulevard and Dobson on Friday morning.

Chandler Police spokesman Sgt. Joe Favazzo says the motorcycle officer was on-duty and stopped at the intersection of Chandler and Pennington when he was hit around 1 a.m.

The driver, 31-year-old Brian Yazzie of Tempe, reportedly took off, but stopped about a half mile later and was taken into custody.

Payne was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Favazzo says Yazzie had a 1-year-old child in the car during the crash. There is an alcohol impairment investigation underway.

Yazzie will be booked into the Maricopa County Jail on one count of manslaughter, one count of endangerment, and one count of hit-and-run.

Payne was a seven-year veteran of the Chandler Police Department and a member of the DUI Traffic Unit.

Officer Bryant Holmes

This is the second Chandler officer to be killed in a traffic accident this week.

Officer Bryant Holmes was killed while on the way the work in Gilbert.  His motorcycle was hit an an SUV that ran a red light.

He was on his way to start a patrol shift that started at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Holmes was 34-years-old and is survived by his wife and four young children.

Emergency crews tried to save Holmes, he was wearing a helmet, but his injuries were too severe.

Holmes had been with the Chandler Police Department for 5 years.

“Great officer, great member of the community, this is a tragic and devastating event that happened today, tragic for his family, tragic for the police department, and tragic for the community,” said Sgt. Joe Favazzo.

Donation Info:

Members of the community interested in making financial contributions to the families of Chandler Police Officers David Payne and Bryant Holmes may do so at any branch office of Arizona Bank & Trust.

Service Info for Officer Holmes:

5-8 p.m. A public viewing for body of Chandler Officer Bryant Holmes. Holmes died in a traffic accident in Gilbert after his motorcycle was hit by an SUV that ran a red light.  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Stake Center, 3025 S. Hawes Road, Mesa

11 a.m. Funeral Services for Chandler Officer Bryant Holmes. The procession to the cemetery will depart from the Stake Center, accessing the San Tan (202) Freeway at Guadalupe Road.  The procession will continue on the San Tan Freeway to Arizona Avenue proceeding southbound on Arizona Avenue to the gravesite. Holmes died in a traffic accident in Gilbert after his motorcycle was hit by an SUV that ran a red light.  Valley of the Sun Cemetery, 10940 E. Chandler Heights Road in Chandler