Two Arizona Police Officers Fired and Arrested After Allegedly Assaulting Man and Woman During Traffic Stop

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Two Phoenix police officers have been fired and arrested after authorities say they carried out an unreported late-night traffic stop during which a man and woman were allegedly assaulted and shocked with a Taser.

Phoenix Police Chief Matt Giordano announced the arrests of former officers Antonio Felix and Luis Vasquez during a news conference Saturday, saying detectives had gathered enough evidence to establish probable cause despite the absence of body-camera footage.

“Detectives have confirmed that the two former officers physically assaulted both the man and woman during the traffic stop,” Giordano said. “The investigation also shows that a Taser was used on the victims during the stop.”

The alleged incident happened on Aug. 5 in Phoenix. According to police, neither officer reported the traffic stop, and neither activated a body-worn camera as required.

Couple Describes Frightening Encounter

According to a Phoenix police statement, the male driver and female passenger said the officers smashed the vehicle’s window during the late-night stop.

Police allege that Vasquez punched the man and threatened to shoot him. The woman was reportedly pulled from the vehicle and handcuffed during the encounter.

The situation eventually broke apart when the man managed to drive away. He later abandoned the vehicle in neighboring Tempe, while the woman was released at the scene.

The abandoned vehicle then triggered another police response.

A Tempe officer who arrived at the vehicle asked through dispatch whether it had fled from any nearby police agencies. According to a Tempe police report, the officer was told that it had not.

The officer then contacted the vehicle’s registered owner, who was the mother of the male driver. Through her, police were eventually able to locate and speak with both people involved in the traffic stop.

Tempe Officer Initially Suspected Police Impersonators

The woman told the Tempe officer that both she and the man had been shocked with a Taser.

The man later told the officer that he had been punched in the face multiple times. He also said that both victims repeatedly asked why they had been stopped.

Based on what the victims described, the Tempe officer initially believed they may have been victims of an attempted carjacking involving people impersonating police officers.

That changed as investigators began examining the circumstances and determining whether actual Phoenix officers could have been involved.

Giordano said he had a similar reaction when he first learned about the allegations because the conduct appeared to be completely inconsistent with department policies.

Investigators Find Evidence Linking Phoenix Police Vehicle

Giordano said detectives eventually determined that Phoenix officers might be connected to the incident and transferred the investigation to a special investigations detail.

Investigators began assembling evidence despite the lack of body-camera footage.

“That’s when they started putting evidence together, including the automatic vehicle locator that did put a vehicle at that location about the time that the victims reported it occurred,” Giordano said.

The vehicle-location technology installed in city vehicles helped investigators establish that a city vehicle was at the reported location around the time of the alleged incident.

Giordano said there was no indication the officers knew the victims before the traffic stop.

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Officers Fired as Investigation Continues

Felix and Vasquez had both been longtime members of the Phoenix Police Department. Vasquez had served for eight years, while Felix had served for nine years.

Giordano said both officers had previously violated department policy, although he emphasized that their earlier violations were “nothing of this nature.”

The two former officers now face criminal charges that include aggravated assault and kidnapping.

Dave Evans, a spokesperson for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, said Sunday that Vasquez had been released from custody, while Felix remained incarcerated at the Lower Buckeye Jail in Phoenix.

Attempts by The Associated Press to determine who was representing the former officers were unsuccessful.

The Phoenix Police Department’s investigation and audit remain ongoing. Felix and Vasquez are scheduled to appear in court Friday.

The case has raised serious questions about police accountability, body-camera compliance and what happened during a traffic stop that authorities say should have been reported but was not.

What do you think about the allegations against the former Phoenix officers? Share your thoughts in the comments.