Two Phoenix police officers arrested and fired after violent, unreported traffic stop
Two Phoenix Police Officers Arrested After Violent Traffic Stop
Activelifezero.com – Two Phoenix police officers arrested and terminated from the force after a late-night traffic stop on August 5 escalated into a physical assault involving a shattered windshield, repeated punches to the face, and Taser shocks delivered to both occupants of the vehicle. Officers Antonio Felix and Luis Vasquez now face charges of aggravated assault and kidnapping, according to Phoenix Police Chief Matt Giordano, who outlined the department’s findings at a Saturday press briefing. Neither officer activated a body-worn camera, and no written report of the stop was ever submitted.
What Happened During the Stop
The male driver and the woman seated in the passenger seat described a sequence that departed entirely from standard procedure. Vasquez broke the car’s window, struck the man repeatedly in the face, and threatened to put a bullet in him. The woman was dragged from the vehicle and placed in handcuffs. Both occupants were then shocked with a Taser. The man ultimately drove the car out of the scene and parked it in neighboring Tempe; the woman was released at the original stop location.
No departmental record of the encounter existed. A Tempe patrol officer who responded to the abandoned vehicle found no pursuit log or cross-agency alert. He contacted the registered owner of the car — the male driver’s mother — and, through that link, reached the woman and later the man. The woman confirmed both had been Tasered. The man added that he had been punched multiple times and that the pair had repeatedly asked why they were being stopped. The Tempe officer recorded in his report that he believed the two were victims of an attempted carjacking staged by individuals posing as police.
Investigation and Charges
Giordano said his initial reaction mirrored the Tempe officer’s: disbelief. He called the account “so far outside the bounds of our policies.” Once detectives cross-referenced the timeline and location, the department’s automatic vehicle locator system confirmed that two Phoenix patrol vehicles had been in the area at the relevant time. The matter was referred to a special investigations detail.
“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.
With no body-camera footage and no written report, investigators nonetheless concluded they had probable cause to believe the charged crimes occurred. Giordano noted there was no indication the officers had any prior acquaintance with the victims. As of Sunday, Vasquez had been released from custody while Felix remained held at the Lower Buckeye Jail. Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Dave Evans confirmed the differing custody statuses. Efforts to reach either officer’s defense counsel were unsuccessful. The two men had served eight and nine years with the department, respectively, and Giordano acknowledged both had prior policy violations he characterized as “nothing of this nature.” A court date is set for Friday.
Why the Missing Record Matters
Phoenix Police Department policy requires officers to document traffic stops and to activate body-worn cameras during such interactions. The complete absence of any official record means the department could not have discovered the stop through routine audit had the victims not independently sought help. In practical terms, the victims’ decision to speak up — and the Tempe officer’s diligence in tracing the vehicle’s owner — is what brought the case to light.
Frequently Asked Questions
What charges were filed against the two officers? Felix and Vasquez face charges of aggravated assault and kidnapping in connection with the August 5 traffic stop.
Were body cameras or written reports produced? No. Neither officer activated a body-worn camera, and no written report of the stop was ever filed with the department.
How did the case come to Phoenix detectives’ attention? A Tempe patrol officer found the abandoned vehicle, traced its registered owner (the driver’s mother), and contacted both victims. Their accounts prompted the Phoenix investigation.
What is the current custody status? Vasquez was released from custody as of Sunday; Felix remains held at the Lower Buckeye Jail. A court date for both is set for Friday.
