On July 16, 2026, in Mohave Valley, Arizona, on the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officer deployed a Taser during a confrontation at Thalypo Convenience & Fireworks, located at 1520 E. Courtwright Road.
The deployment occurred near a fuel pump and resulted in a
Clarence “Chuck” Coyl, a Mohave Valley resident, stated that earlier that day he and a friend arrived at the Catfish Paradise area of the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge intending to fish.
An officer approached, told them they were trespassing after they drove through an open gate, and ordered them to leave.
Coyl said he departed and later stopped at the gas station.
Cell phone video recorded by Coyl shows the officer, identified by a name tag as P. Nielsen, demanding a license for identification and stating Coyl was going to jail for not cooperating after committing a crime. Coyl asked what he was being arrested for and referred to a misdemeanor. The officer then deployed the Taser.
Coyl reported first- and second-degree burns to his hands and wrists along with nerve damage to two fingers. He was treated at a hospital for approximately five and a half hours and indicated he would require physical therapy. No arrest or charges were filled against him, and he stated no officers followed up at the hospital.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed a Taser was deployed. A spokesperson said the incident is under review consistent with Department of the Interior policy and declined further comment. Agency policy advises against electronic control device use near flammable materials unless a compelling reason is articulated. The Fort Mojave Indian Tribe offered no comment.
