A former Buckeye, Arizona, police officer has been indicted on assault charges following incidents captured on surveillance video, including one where she allegedly shoved and slapped a nine-months-pregnant woman who was handcuffed.
Officer Carri Carrico, 47, faces two counts of aggravated assault. The charges stem from a November incident involving the pregnant woman and a separate January incident. Carrico resigned from the Buckeye Police Department on June 4, after a grand jury indicted her on May 27. She has pleaded not guilty.
Incident with Pregnant Woman
Surveillance video from November 1 shows Carrico, then an officer with the Buckeye Police Department, allegedly assaulting a 21-year-old woman who was nine months pregnant. According to an indictment, Carrico shoved the woman against a wall and dragged her to a bench before swinging her arm toward the woman's head. The alleged victim told investigators that Carrico hit her, and was later taken to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a contusion and evaluated for a concussion.
Carrico had arrested the woman for reckless driving following a traffic stop. The woman claimed the officer was hostile and made demeaning comments during a pat-down search. Body camera footage captured Carrico calling the woman names and threatening that her attitude would determine if she went to jail.
During an internal investigation, Carrico admitted the video "looks really ugly" but defended her actions, stating she "never once in my life open-hand slapped or struck anybody" and believed she "reverted to my training." Her supervising sergeant described her actions as "very aggressive" and "definitely over the top and unnecessary."
Incident with Handcuffed Man
Carrico also faces charges related to an incident on January 25. While tasked with transporting a man arrested on a domestic violence charge, Carrico allegedly punched the man in the head while he was being escorted by two officers at a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office facility in Phoenix. Surveillance footage showed the man headbutted Carrico as he exited her patrol vehicle, causing her to take him to the ground.
However, the man told investigators that after he bumped Carrico, she threw him to the ground, tore his shirt, and punched him in the face while he was restrained. Footage from inside the facility allegedly captured Carrico punching the handcuffed man and verbally threatening him.
Carrico told investigators she used a "distraction strike" during the January incident, a technique she claimed to have learned during her nearly 10-year tenure with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. A reviewing sergeant stated they did not see anything in the footage that would provoke such a response from the officer.
Prior Service and Recognition
Carrico joined the Buckeye Police Department in 2023. Prior to that, she served nearly 10 years with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department in California. In 2022, she appeared on an episode of the reality TV show COPS.
Last year, Carrico was honored with a Hero Award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) for her work in DUI enforcement. The Buckeye Police Department recognized her "exceptional dedication" to road safety, noting her significant number of DUI investigations and arrests, which were more than any other patrol officer on the force. The department stated her actions had helped prevent crashes and protect lives.