Phoenix Police Chief Matt Giordano announced Saturday that two officers, Antonio Felix and Luis Vasquez, were fired and arrested following an investigation into an unreported traffic stop. The two former officers face charges of aggravated assault and kidnapping. According to Chief Giordano, detectives confirmed that both a man and a woman were physically assaulted and shocked with a Taser during the encounter.
The incident occurred during a late-night traffic stop on August 5. The Phoenix Police Department reported that the officers smashed a car window, and Vasquez allegedly punched the male driver and threatened to shoot him. The female passenger was removed from the vehicle and handcuffed. While the woman was released at the scene, the male driver drove away and abandoned the vehicle in the neighboring city of Tempe.
Investigators determined that Felix and Vasquez did not report the stop or activate their body-worn cameras. The department identified the officers' involvement using automatic vehicle locator technology, which placed a city vehicle at the scene at the time of the reported assault. According to court documents reported by KPHO-TV, both men admitted to their involvement in the stop. At an initial court appearance Saturday night, a judge set a $100,000 secured appearance bond for each defendant.
The legal proceedings carry significant financial and professional consequences for the former officers and the municipality. Each defendant faces a $100,000 bond, which requires a substantial financial guarantee for release, along with the requirement for electronic monitoring. The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, the local police union, stated that the alleged actions represent a "significant breach of the public trust" and expressed support for the department's decision to terminate the officers. This case sets a precedent for how the department utilizes vehicle tracking technology to investigate misconduct when body-worn cameras are not activated.
The next steps in the legal process include a court date scheduled for Friday. While Vasquez was reported as released from custody on Sunday, Felix remained incarcerated at the Lower Buckeye Jail in Phoenix. The Phoenix Police Department indicated that its internal investigation and audit are ongoing to determine if further policy violations occurred. The specific names of defense attorneys for Felix and Vasquez were not reported, and no comments have been issued on their behalf.