PHOENIX — Two Phoenix police officers have been fired and arrested after authorities accused them of violently assaulting a man and woman during an unreported late-night traffic stop in south Phoenix.
Former officers Luis Vasquez Jr., 31, and Antonio Felix, 31, are facing multiple felony charges stemming from the Aug. 5 incident near 19th Avenue and Broadway Road, according to the Phoenix Police Department and court documents.
Phoenix Police Chief Matt Giordano announced the arrests and terminations Saturday, describing the alleged conduct as a serious violation of the public trust.
“Detectives have confirmed that the two former officers physically assaulted both the man and woman during the traffic stop,” Giordano said. Investigators also determined that a Taser was used during the encounter.
Traffic stop was never reported
According to investigators, Vasquez and Felix were on duty at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 5 when they stopped a Dodge Charger occupied by a man and a woman.
Authorities allege the officers forced the occupants from the vehicle after damaging a window and opening the doors.
The woman told investigators she was placed in an arm bar, shocked with a Taser, handcuffed and left on the sidewalk. Prosecutors allege Vasquez repeatedly punched the male driver, including strikes to his head and face.
Court documents also allege that Vasquez pulled his firearm and threatened to shoot the driver.
The driver eventually managed to get away and drove from the area. His vehicle later broke down in Tempe.
The woman was allegedly detained for a period of time before being released. Prosecutors say she was left without her cellphone and subsequently walked for more than an hour to get home.
Both victims later sought medical treatment and documented their injuries with photographs, according to prosecutors.
Tempe police initially suspected police impersonators
The incident came to light after Tempe police encountered the abandoned vehicle.
According to investigators, the male driver told a Tempe officer that he and the woman had been pulled over by people who appeared to be police officers but had violently attacked them.
Because the circumstances were so unusual, the Tempe officer initially suspected the couple may have been victims of criminals impersonating police officers.
Investigators determined that Vasquez and Felix had been in the area and had interacted with the vehicle. Police also examined department records and other evidence while attempting to reconstruct what happened.
One of the most significant aspects of the investigation is that the alleged encounter was not captured on the officers’ body-worn cameras.
Phoenix police said neither officer activated his body camera during the traffic stop. Investigators also found no corresponding radio traffic, call for service, use-of-force report or supervisor notification associated with the encounter.
Chief Giordano said investigators found no video evidence of the traffic stop.
That has left investigators relying on witness accounts, physical evidence, vehicle and police data, photographs and statements obtained during the investigation to reconstruct what occurred.
According to newly released court documents, Vasquez acknowledged that he did not activate his body camera or file a report, telling investigators he was afraid of the consequences of the policy violations.
Officers allegedly gave investigators accounts of the encounter
Court documents released after the arrests provide additional details about what the officers allegedly told investigators.
Vasquez reportedly told detectives that he believed he was stopping a drunk driver. He allegedly said he followed the vehicle through several turns while turning his emergency lights on and off.
According to the documents, Vasquez acknowledged that the driver’s window broke as he attempted to open the vehicle door. He also admitted punching the driver after the man refused to exit the vehicle and appeared to reach for something.
Vasquez reportedly acknowledged drawing his firearm and threatening to shoot the driver.
Felix also told investigators that he believed the driver was intoxicated and said the situation escalated when the occupants did not comply with commands to get out of the vehicle.
Investigators questioned why the officers did not request backup or notify a supervisor if they believed they were facing a dangerous situation. According to court documents, Felix did not provide an explanation that investigators could corroborate.
Police have not alleged that the officers knew the victims before the encounter.
Multiple felony charges
Vasquez and Felix were arrested Saturday and booked into the Maricopa County Jail.
The charges include:
Kidnapping
Aggravated assault
Felony assault involving a bound or physically restrained person
Aggravated robbery
Threatening and intimidating
Criminal damage
Hindering prosecution
Tampering with evidence
A judge set a $100,000 secured appearance bond for each former officer and ordered electronic monitoring if they are released.
As of Monday, Aug. 24, Vasquez had been released from custody, while Felix remained incarcerated, according to reporting from CBS News.
Both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The two officers were initially placed on administrative leave on Aug. 13 as the department investigated the allegations.
Vasquez had served with the Phoenix Police Department for approximately eight years, while Felix had served for approximately nine years. Both were assigned to the department’s South Mountain Precinct.
Phoenix police said the investigation remains active and that detectives are examining whether additional people were involved and whether the case reveals broader issues within the department.
Questions about accountability remain
The arrests have also prompted calls for greater scrutiny of the officers’ previous conduct and the department’s policies.
Several South Phoenix lawmakers have asked Phoenix officials whether an independent investigation should be conducted and whether the two officers had previously been the subject of complaints, misconduct allegations or use-of-force incidents.
They have also questioned why the officers’ body cameras were not activated and whether the department’s policies were violated.
The case has renewed concerns about transparency and accountability when police officers are accused of using force outside normal reporting procedures.
Chief Giordano said the alleged conduct was unacceptable.
“There is no excuse for the conduct that these two officers engaged in,” he said.
For investigators, the absence of bodycam footage means the Aug. 5 encounter must be reconstructed through other evidence. For the two former officers, the allegations will now be tested through the criminal justice system.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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