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Ex-Phoenix Cops Indicted for Violent Traffic Stop
9 Sep
Summary
- Two ex-Phoenix police officers indicted on multiple felony charges.
- Charges include kidnapping, aggravated assault, and evidence tampering.
- Officers were fired and had their certifications deactivated.
A Maricopa County grand jury has indicted two former Phoenix police officers, Luis Vasquez Jr. and Antonio Felix, on serious felony charges related to an August 5 traffic stop. The indictment includes charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault, hindering prosecution, and evidence tampering. Vasquez faces a more severe aggravated assault charge for allegedly pointing his department-issued handgun at the driver.
The indictment follows an investigation that led to the officers' arrest and subsequent termination from the Phoenix Police Department on August 22. The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board has deactivated their certifications, barring them from law enforcement duties. Both officers pleaded not guilty during their arraignment on September 8.
Despite the current charges, performance evaluations for Vasquez and Felix reportedly included numerous commendations. They served eight and nine years, respectively, with the department. Both have since been released from jail on bond, equipped with electronic monitoring and subject to strict release conditions, including a ban on possessing weapons.
