Two former Phoenix police officers have been arrested and fired after allegedly assaulting and Tasing a man and woman during a traffic stop on August 5 that they failed to report. The officers, Antonio Felix and Luis Vasquez, face charges including aggravated assault and kidnapping, Phoenix Police Chief Matt Giordano announced Saturday.
Giordano stated that detectives confirmed the officers physically assaulted both victims during the traffic stop and used a Taser. Neither officer activated their body-worn cameras, and the stop was not documented in official reports. "There is no video evidence, but we established what we believe is probable cause that these crimes were committed," Giordano said. There is no indication the officers knew the victims.
According to a Phoenix police statement, during the late-night stop, the officers allegedly smashed the car window. Vasquez punched the male driver and threatened him, while the female passenger was removed from the vehicle and handcuffed. The male driver managed to drive away and abandon the car in neighboring Tempe. The woman was released at the scene.
A Tempe police officer responding to the abandoned vehicle inquired if it had fled from any local agencies and was informed it had not. Through the car's registered owner, the mother of the male driver, the Tempe officer made contact with the victims. The woman reported being Tased, and the man later stated he was repeatedly punched and that they had asked why they were stopped. The Tempe officer initially believed they were victims of an attempted carjacking by individuals impersonating police.
Chief Giordano described his initial reaction to the incident as astonishment, noting it was "so far outside the bounds of our policies." The case was transferred to a special investigations detail when detectives began to suspect Phoenix officers' involvement. Evidence, including the automatic vehicle locator data from city vehicles, placed an officer's vehicle at the location around the time the victims reported the incident.
Vasquez had served eight years with the Phoenix Police Department, and Felix had served nine years. Giordano mentioned that both officers had prior policy violations, but none of this nature. The department's investigation and audit are ongoing. Felix remains incarcerated at the Lower Buckeye Jail, while Vasquez has been released from custody. Both officers have a court date scheduled for Friday.