Two former Phoenix officers charged after violent traffic stop

PHOENIX - The two Phoenix police officers accused of using extreme force during a traffic stop earlier this month have been formally charged by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office (MCAO).

What we know:

Luis Vasquez, Jr., 31, and Antonio Felix, 31, both face numerous charges for the Aug. 5 incident, according to a direct complaint. This includes two counts of felony kidnapping, two counts of felony aggravated assault, a felony count of tampering with physical evidence and conspiracy to commit hindering prosecution in the first degree. Both face one count of threatening and intimating, while Vasquez. Jr. faces a criminal damage charge.

Kidnapping Charge

Vasquez Jr. and Felix knowingly restrained the woman and man with the "intent to inflict death, physical injury, or a sexual offense on her or to otherwise aid in the commission of a felony," MCAO said. The two counts were for the two victims. 

Aggravated Assault

Vasquez, Jr. faces a Class 3 felony aggravated assault charge for using a gun or deadly weapon, intentionally placing the man in "reasonable apprehension of imminent physical injury," MCAO added. The state considers this a "dangerous felony" since a weapon involved discharge, use, or threatening to use. 

Felix faces this Class 6 felony charge because prosecutors say he knowingly or recklessly caused physical injury to the woman, while she was somewhat restricted to resist. 

Both former officers face a second charge for causing physical injury to the man, as he was somewhat impaired in his ability to resist. 

Criminal Damage

Vasquez, Jr. faces this charge for causing damage to the driver's side window, causing damage worth more than $250, but less than $1,000.

Threatening or Intimidating

Both former officers threatened or intimated by word or action to cause physical injury to the couple or serious damage to the woman's property, the complaint details. 

Tampering with Physical Evidence

Vasquez, Jr. and Felix attempted to destroy, alter, conceal or manipulate physical evidence and used a cell phone to impair its verity or availability. 

Conspiracy to Commit Hindering Prosecution

MCAO says both officers conspired to kidnap and threaten the victims, and used their patrol vehicle lights to stop the 2014 Dodge Charger and rear-end the couple inside. 

The backstory:

The former Phoenix officers were accused of failing to report the use of force and turning off their body cameras during the incident near 19th Avenue and Broadway Road, leading to their termination and arrests. 

Court documents said the officers crashed into the victim's car, but claimed they pulled over an impaired driver in a high-crime area. They allegedly tried forcing open their doors before smashing the driver's side window, "using extreme and unjustified violence," the Deputy County Attorney said. 

Felix is accused of tasing the couple multiple times, which the department later was able to detect via a digital trail left by his Taser. 

"The forensic download of his taser showed six safety activations with 29 electrical discharge events during the encounter, which corroborated the victim's statements to investigators. And he also tased victim two while she was being placed in an armed car and being restrained by the enforcement," the prosecutor said.

Big picture view:

In court documents, Vasquez, Jr. and Felix later admitted to a lot of their actions, while Vasquez admitted to not reporting the situation because of his previous policy violations. Phoenix Police said they both had past violations.

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.

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