A man accused of crimes against children died after an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound during a traffic stop by Mesa detectives on the U.S. 60, causing an hours-long closure, according to police officials.
Detectives spotted 42-year-old Justin Meritt driving on the U.S. 60 near Silly Mountain Road in Apache Junction on Nov. 25, and they conducted a traffic stop at about 2:30 p.m., according to a Mesa Police news release sent Nov. 26.
Police had developed probable cause to arrest Meritt on suspicion of serious felony crimes, following a call for service at about 3 p.m. Nov. 24 in the 10000 block of Juanita Avenue, the news release stated. Information about that call was not immediately available…