Fired Phoenix officers admit to violent traffic stop, court documents show

PHOENIX - Court documents are revealing more in the case of two now former Phoenix police officers who allegedly assaulted a couple and did not report it. The incident on Aug. 5 led to the firing and arrest of both officers after the traffic stop escalated into alleged violence. 

New Details:

In court documents, the officers crashed into the victim's car, but claimed they pulled over an impaired driver in a high-crime area. They said the vehicle's owner did not match the vehicle. However, Phoenix Police Chief Matthew Giordano, who fired and arrested them, says the officers went too far.

In a Tempe police report, the couple had been pulled over near 19th Avenue and Broadway Road when the cops allegedly tried forcing open their doors and smashing the driver's side window. 

Video showed former officers Luis Vasquez, Jr., 31, and Antonio Felix, 31, in court on Aug. 22. Felix is accused of tasing a couple and putting the woman in an arm bar, while Vasquez is accused of punching the man in the head, nose, face, and groin area, according to records. Vasquez is also accused of pointing his gun at them and threatening to shoot, but also claiming the couple ignored commands and the driver refused to exit the vehicle.

Experts Chime In:

"To this, I guess, gravity and this scale, I've never seen it this way," said Josh Logan of Guardian Training and Consulting.

Logan is a former police officer who offers expert witness testimony, pointing to the fact that the officers did not turn their body cameras on.

"If this goes to trial, obviously, the victims are going to have their time to get on the stand and explain exactly how these former officer perpetrated their crimes," he added.

The backstory:

The former officers conducted a traffic stop in South Phoenix at around 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 5. The department said force was used and "not reported as required by policy, including the failure to activate their body-worn cameras." During a criminal investigation, the two were placed on administrative leave, before being fired on Aug. 22.

Dig deeper:

Felix and Vasquez are facing charges of aggravated assault, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, felony assault involving a bound or otherwise physically restrained individual, threatening and intimidating, criminal damage, hindering prosecution, and tampering with evidence.

Big picture view:

Both later admitted to a lot of their actions, while Vasquez admitted to not reporting the situation because of his previous policy violations. The Phoenix Police Department says both Vasquez and Felix have past violations, but nothing of this nature.

"A lot of the facts and circumstances about this case are going to come out. One thing I don't think that is going to come out is the motivation," Logan said. "I don't know if that's ever going to come out. Why?"

Vasquez was with the department for eight years, while Felix was with them for nine years. Both officers were assigned to patrol at the South Mountain Precinct. 

A Ripple Effect:

Logan said their actions, if true, are going to have an impact on the entire police department. 

"It doesn't take much to ruin that trust, just like any relationship. You look at any relationship anybody has, it takes one act to erode it completely, and in this case that's what happened," Logan said. 

What's next:

The police chief said they're still investigating a motive, and are looking through information including radio traffic and their automatic vehicle locator.