Month: April 2026

Madeline Murray

UPDATE (7:00 PM): According to the Yuma Fire Department (YFD), emergency crews responded to the area near W. 24th Street and S. Avenue B at around 3 a.m. Saturday after receiving reports of a vehicle submerged in a flooded area.

Upon arrival, YFD says, “Crews found significant flooding along Avenue B between 22nd Street and 24th Street,” and says they found two vehicles stuck near 23rd Street.

YFD says one person was inside a vehicle, prompting crews to quickly and safely rescue the person “before additional units arrived.”

According to YFD, personnel with the City of Yuma Water Department “determined the flooding was caused by a major water main break,” and says while the break had been shut off, the water was not draining properly.

Courtesy: Yuma Fire Department

Crews immediately worked to remove the water and investigate the extent of the damage, including a sinkhole which formed the area, YFD says.

In addition, YFD says officers with the the Yuma Police Department “established traffic control and road closures” in order to keep the public safe, but after the initial response, a driver bypassed the road closure and drove into the affected area, thus becoming stuck in the sinkhole.

YFD says Avenue B, between 22nd Street and 24th Street, is closed, and is expected to remain in place until the area “can be fully assessed and repaired,” and says they are asking drivers to avoid the area and use alternate routes.

Press Release Sink Hole Ave BDownload

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A road in Yuma shut down Saturday after it was flooded due to a water main break.

The closure is on Avenue B and 24th Street, near the Regency Square Apartment Complex and River Park Apartment Complex.

City crews have been working to clear the water from the area, but the street will remain closed until crews assess the damage.

We have reached out to the Yuma Fire Department for details on what might have caused the flooding, and will update you with the details once it becomes available.

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Skylar Heisey

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A Yuma man accused of murdering his own son is heading to trial next month.

38-year-old Daniel Harris has pleaded not guilty to first degree murder, and his trial is scheduled to begin May 5.

Harris was arrested in connection to the murder of 24-year-old Michael Patrick Reiter, who was found unresponsive at a Yuma home in September of last year and later died from his injuries.

Also charged in the case is 22-year-old Danica Watts, who has not yet entered a plea, and is the sister of the victim.

Her next court appearance, a trial setting and change of plea hearing, is scheduled for April 16.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Strong Beginnings Project and Strong Beginnings, LLC have teamed up to host Walk 4 Autism 2026 Saturday morning.

The event took place at Gateway Park at 9 a.m., with check-in starting at 8 a.m., and was to raise awareness and support for autism as April is Autism Acceptance Month.

Yuma City Councilmember Carol Smith and Yuma Police Department (YPD) Chief Thomas Garrity also participated in the walk.

Mandie Gilmor, Operations and Communication Manager for the Strong Beginnings Project, shared how the event benefits Yuma County.

“It helps to promote awareness of autism in the community and it helps for the families of children with autism to feel supported, seen, and to have a place to connect and come together with the community…and so it just really helps with that engagement and to feel support and to have a community that comes together,” Gilmor explained.

During the event, YPD was handing out Autism Awareness Month patches and stickers, as well as attendees participating in a variety of activities and raffles.

Onvida Health and Rural Metro also served as community partners and sponsors for the event.

According to the Strong Beginnings Project, the expected attendance for those participating in the walk was over 1,400.

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Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Yuma is preparing for an event 250 years in the making, as it gears up to honor America’s upcoming milestone anniversary with a Star-Spangled Celebration.

Festivities will take place at Desert Sun Stadium, where locals can expect an evening filled with entertainment, music, and patriotic displays.

“It brings Yuma together and brings the community together for a once-in-a-generation celebration,” said Christian Magana, Public Information Officer for the City of Yuma.

The event will feature activities for all ages, including a patriotic drone show and live performances from both national and local artists. Headlining the celebration is country music artist Randy Houser, joined by Parmalee and Yuma native Bobby McClendon.

“It’s all about making memorable experiences here in Yuma while still celebrating and honoring a milestone in our nation’s history,” Magana said.

The Star-Spangled Celebration is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, from 3-11 p.m. at Desert Sun Stadium. Ticket prices are $25 plus taxes and fees and children 12 and under are free. You can purchase tickets here.

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Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Selective Service System is proposing a change to the registration of military requirements.

The agency is pushing for American men ages 18-26 to automatically register for a military draft.

The current system requires men in the same age group to register themselves through voluntary compliance. Failure to comply would be considered a felony.

This proposal gets rid of voluntary compliance and automatically registers eligible American men within 30 days of turning 18.

“I agree with it because back in the 60s and 70s, during my time, it was mandatory, and if you didn’t do it, you were under violation of federal law,” said Veteran Kyle Shaw.

“Of course, I had to sign up when I was 18 and it didn’t bother me any at all,” said veteran Herschel Patterson.

Despite the potential for a felony, the Selective Service System stated that only 81% of men voluntarily complied in 2024, a 3% decrease from the year before. Veterans believe letting the young men know the benefits of joining would raise the percentage.

“I don’t believe they’re getting the correct education they should get,” said Patterson.

“I think that the military is not getting out the word of what the benefits are,” Shaw added.

Although President Donald Trump hasn’t made a formal statement on a draft happening in the future, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the possibility is on the table.

For Shaw, whether the proposal is implemented or not, he doesn’t see a draft taking place anytime soon.

“I don’t see U.S. going into anything at the moment, at all,” he said. “Not in the next 5-10 years.”

If implemented as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, the proposal will take effect in December.

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Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – April marks Autism Acceptance Month across the country. In Yuma, local organizations and first responders are working together to build a more inclusive and understanding community.

For many, that effort begins with closing the gap between families affected by autism and the community around them.

“Autism Acceptance Month is very close to my heart. I have been working with children with special needs for over 20 years,” Berenice Diaz, founder of the Strong Beginnings Project, said. “Starting off as a teacher. And I have always seen, kind of a disconnect, you know, between, between the families and community.”

Organizations, like Strong Beginnings, are helping bridge that gap through both services and community events.

They provide Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), a therapy that focuses on improving social and behavioral skills for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

As part of Autism Acceptance Month, Strong Beginnings will host its annual Walk for Autism Saturday at Gateway Park.

Check-in begins at 8 a.m., and the walk is set to start at 9 a.m. The event aims to raise funds to help families access specialized care, including services that may not be readily available in Yuma.

The Yuma Police Department (YPD) is also joining the effort to promote awareness and inclusion. The department is hosting its first Autism Awareness Community Event on April 25, creating an opportunity for families to connect with officers in a supportig environment.

“This event is really important for us. Myself and Lt. Pino have children who are on the autism spectrum,” Sgt. Christina Fernandez with YPD said. “With speaking about our personal experiences, we learned that a lot of our officers and personnel also have children and loved ones who are on the spectrum as well. So it’s really important for us to be able to bring this awareness to the community, and know the importance behind it.”

Organizers say these efforts go beyond awareness and focus on building trust, expanding resources and strengthening connections.

With more ABA and speech therapy providers now available in Yuma, advocates say the community is making progress, but there is work to be done.

“I hope this is the beginning to that inclusion. Because I think we’re past that awareness,” Diaz said. “We all know it exists right, now we have to really accept so that we can create that inclusion within our community.”

Local groups say events like these are just beginning, as they continue working year-round to ensure families feel supported and connected.

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Marcos Icahuate

IMPERIAL COUNTY (KYMA) – The Imperial County Sheriff’s Office confirms Alexandra Meza was found in Mexicali Wednesday.

She was originally booked at the Imperial County Jail on March 24.

Then a couple days later, she was taken to El Centro Regional Medical center after reporting a medical complaint.

Deputies say she escaped from the hospital on March 27.

After being on the run for 12 days, Mexicali police found her Wednesday morning.

She is now in custody at the Imperial County Jail.

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Marcos Icahuate

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Two people died in a car crash on State Route 98, west of Mount Signal Road, according to California Highway Patrol (CHP).

On April 9, 2026, at about 5:32 a.m., at 34-year-old man was driving a Hyundai Elantra eastbound on State Route 98.

The Hyundai had a front seat passenger, a 34-year-old woman.

A 25-year-old man in a Toyota Camry was driving westbound on SR 98, when both vehicles collided.

The driver of the Hyundai and Toyota both died in the crash and the passenger had major injuries.

The woman was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center.

CHP says the people in the Hyundai were properly restrained at the time of the crash, but the driver of the Toyota was not.

CHP is reminding drivers to focus on driving defensively.

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