Nationwide — Carri Carrico, a former police officer from Buckeye, Arizona, is facing two felony aggravated assault charges after video footage captured her using force against people in custody, including a 9-month-pregnant Black woman. She pleaded not guilty on June 24, and her trial is scheduled for November.
The first case began with a November 2025 traffic stop involving the pregnant woman, whom Carrico arrested for reckless driving. At the Buckeye Police Department booking facility, surveillance footage showed the woman handcuffed as Carrico pushed her against a wall and pulled her back toward a bench while she screamed. Carrico then struck her in the head. The woman later told investigators that the officer hit her after making her sit down. She said she suffered scratches, a bruise, and injuries to her neck and back. She was taken to a hospital and diagnosed with a contusion. Officials have not released information about the condition of her baby or details about the delivery.
According to Atlanta Black Star, the footage also captured Carrico berating the woman during the encounter and calling her “gross,” “nasty,” and “an ass.” A supervising sergeant later described Carrico’s behavior as “very aggressive” and “definitely over the top and unnecessary.” Investigators also questioned her report of the incident. Carrico first said she had forgotten to include the use of force, then changed her explanation and said she believed she had already reported it.
When investigators showed Carrico the footage, she admitted that it looked bad but denied ever open-hand slapping or striking anyone. She said she believed she had reverted to her police training during the encounter. When asked whether her actions followed department standards, she said the answer was not simply yes or no. She also argued that officers did not have to stay quiet when people treated them poorly. Carrico later acknowledged that there was “room for improvement” and that not everything she did was perfect.
The second charge stems from a January 25, 2026, encounter with a man who was being taken into custody. The man headbutted Carrico while getting out of a patrol vehicle. Investigators said she responded by throwing him to the ground, and surveillance footage showed her later punching him in the head while other officers escorted and restrained him. Carrico told investigators she used a “distraction strike,” a technique she said she learned while working for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in Southern California. Investigators also obtained audio from inside the jail in which she repeatedly threatened to smash the man into a wall.
Carrico was indicted on May 27 and placed on unpaid administrative leave the next day. She resigned from the Buckeye Police Department on June 4. Her case now centers on the two encounters and the video and audio evidence gathered during the investigation. She has pleaded not guilty to both aggravated assault charges and is scheduled to go to trial in November.