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In early November, the Phoenix Police Department announced that an on-duty officer had been indicted for causing an accident while speeding an estimated 50 miles over the speed limit. But the officer’s name was noticeably absent from the department’s press release, which trumpeted how the department “is committed to accountability and transparency with our community.”
The officer’s identity is no longer a mystery, however. On Wednesday, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office released the grand jury indictment that named Phoenix cop Joshua Woodcock as the officer with a need for speed.
On Oct. 24, about a month before the indictment was released publicly, Woodcock was indicted on one count of aggravated assault, a class 3 felony, and three counts of endangerment, class 6 felonies. The indictment charges him with injuring Mahamat Abakar and endangering three others “with a substantial risk of imminent death.” A class 3 felony carries a prison term of between two and seven years, while class 6 felonies can carry sentences of six months to a year and a half.
The collision took place on March 14 of this year near Buckeye Road and an Interstate 17 access road, police said. Arizona’s Family reported that Woodcock was doing 89 mph in a 35-mph zone. After an internal investigation, the department submitted criminal charges for the officer to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
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“This is a serious matter. Our officers are expected to uphold the same laws they enforce, and when standards are not met, we have an obligation to act,” Phoenix police spokesperson Sgt. Fernandez wrote in a press release on Nov. 12. “Our responsibility to the community requires that we address this situation openly and directly.”
Arizona’s Family also described Woodcock as a “now-former officer,” though it’s unclear if that’s the case. On Wednesday, Fernandez told Phoenix New Times that the decision to issue discipline to Woodcock “remains a part of an internal investigation.”
According to the department’s use-of-force database, Woodcock has been involved in 14 use-of-force incidents dating back to 2018. None involved firearms, though two involved “impact munitions,” which are less-lethal weapons. Seven incidents were found within department policy, while seven others list no policy determination in the database.
Woodcock is also listed as the officer who arrested a man who said he was handing out water to protesters during the anti-police brutality demonstrations in the summer of 2020.
According to court records, Woodcock has not yet been arraigned in his criminal case. His arraignment is set for Dec. 3, and trial is tentatively scheduled for April 2026.
