Police arrest 2 accused of assisting man who allegedly shot Phoenix officer

By Judy J. Beasley Last updated Apr 28, 2022

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — The Phoenix Police Department said it made two arrests in connection with Nicholas Cody Cowan, the man accused of shooting a Phoenix police officer earlier this month. Police said Thursday that Carolina Coster, 35, and Michael Hankins, 41, face charges for allegedly helping Cowan “escape the police.”

Court documents say Cowan stayed at Hankins’ apartment near I-17 and Northern Avenue where he stayed for two days before Hankins used his credit card to rent a Scottsdale Airbnb where Cowan stayed. finally got arrested. Authorities say Hankins told investigators that while he received the emergency alerts that a Valley-wide manhunt was underway, he didn’t “realize he was was the same person.” Hankins also admitted to buying a cell phone and buying Cowan food while he was in the short-term rental, according to court documents. Arizona’s family is still working to find out more about Coster.

Police say Caroline Coster and Michael Hankins are charged with helping the man who shot a Phoenix PD officer evade authorities.(Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)

Cowan, who was injured in a shootout with police, is back in hospital after being released and briefly jailed. During the booking process, prison officials noted that he had to return to the hospital for monitoring. “He was not officially released to (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office) custody until this happened,” Phoenix Police Sgt. Andy Williams said Tuesday morning. Arizona’s family is still working to find out what caused the prison to send him back to the hospital.

Nicholas Cowan(Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)

The new arrests date back to April 14, when a woman went to a gas station near Cave Creek and Beardsley Road and called 911 after a fight with Cowan, whom she had seen, said the police. As she spoke to officers, Cowan introduced himself and fired his gun, hitting Officer Denise Bruce-Jones and shooting another officer, investigators said.

Cowan was the subject of an 80-hour manhunt. Police arrested him at a rental property in Scottsdale on April 17. Investigators say Coster and Hankins weren’t the only ones who helped Cowan. Days after the shooting, Cowan’s ex-girlfriend Nicole Montalbano was arrested at her home in Prescott Valley. She was arrested on suspicion of obstructing the prosecution and tampering with evidence.

Neighbors in the area where Nicholas Cowan was arrested are talking about the clash that took place in their Scottsdale neighborhood on Sunday night.