An assault during an off-the-books traffic stop in South Phoenix has led to the firing and arrest of two Arizona officers on August 22.

The two Phoenix officers, identified as Antonio Felix and Luis Vasquez Jr., both 31, were fired and arrested on charges of aggravated assault and kidnapping, said Police Chief Matt Giordano at a Saturday news conference.

According to court documents, Felix and Vasquez admitted involvement, with Vasquez saying he didn’t file a report “out of fear of the consequence.”

The incident took place on August 5, at around 11.30 p.m. when the officers followed a Dodge Charger in an unmarked Phoenix police Tahoe in South Phoenix with intermittent lights and sirens.

During the stop, Vasquez allegedly smashed the driver’s window, punched the man repeatedly in the head, face, nose, and groin, and pulled out his hair, and threatened to shoot him.

According to a police statement, the woman was forcibly removed from the vehicle and reportedly tased multiple times. According to a forensic download of Felix’s taser, he had six safety activations and 29 electrical discharge events, corroborating the victims’ statements.

 

The driver fled the scene, abandoning the car in Tempe, and the woman was released at the scene, with officers allegedly telling her “we know where you live now.” The officers didn’t report the stop and did not activate their body-worn cameras, police said.

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

The incident came to light when a Tempe officer responded to the abandoned car and checked with the dispatcher if it had fled from any police agency. The officer was told it had not, leading him to suspect police impersonators, the Tempe police said.

The officer contacted the car’s registered owner, who narrated the ordeal.

When Phoenix dispatch saw Vasquez and Felix had previously run the license plate, both officers denied making any traffic stop or having any interaction with the victims. Furthermore, automatic vehicle locator data also placed the officers’ vehicles at the scene at the time, providing key evidence. A criminal investigation was launched on August 13, and both officers were placed on administrative leave before firing.

At their initial court hearing on Saturday, a judge set a $100,000 secured appearance bond for each officer, with electronic monitoring required if they are released. Vasquez was released while Felix remained at Lower Buckeye Jail.

Vasquez had eight years with the department, and Felix had nine; both were assigned to patrol at the South Mountain Precinct.

“We must, and we will, continue to hold any officers involved in misconduct or criminal activity accountable. Accountability is our priority,” Giordano said.

Their next court appearance is scheduled for August 28, 2026.

Disclaimer: The Inquisitr could not independently verify the facts of this incident and is reporting based on the information available within the public record.