Phoenix traffic stop under investigation after man says officers used excessive force during arrest – ABC15 Arizona

Phoenix traffic stop under investigation after man says officers used excessive force during arrest  ABC15 Arizona

A 29-year-old man and his attorney say Phoenix police used excessive force during an August traffic stop. The incident is now under administrative review.De'Yante Smith says he was driving near 27th Avenue and Campbell on Aug. 21 to pick up a friend for a night out when a police vehicle cut him off and shined a large spotlight directly into his windshield."I throw my hands up because I'm confused because I didn't know there were police at first, so I'm like, I'm thinking somebody's about to hit me head on," Smith said. "I've never been in a situation like that."Smith says he did not initially realize the vehicle belonged to police officers.

He says once he understood it was police and they activated their lights, he immediately pulled over.According to the police report, officers were on patrol near 26th Avenue and Campbell when they observed a white Mercedes-Benz S550 make a U-turn without warning near Hazelwood Street. The report says several females in the area appeared to be prostitutes and that it is common behavior for people involved in prostitution or human trafficking to circulate an area in a vehicle. As the Mercedes passed the officers, the report says the driver, Smith, yelled out his window, "You can't catch me," prompting officers to follow the vehicle and run the plates.