16 Aug 28th-Sept 3rd, 2025 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | officers enforce the law equally, without regard to race or background. Woods’ arrest was reviewed by our department’s accountability processes, which confirmed our officers acted lawfully and appropriately.” Lerman did not provide specific details about which details were mischaracterized or answer questions from New Times about specific accusations. Woods’ arrest According to Woods’ complaint, Tempe officers adopted an aggressive approach from the very beginning of their inter- action with him on Aug. 24, 2024. After seeing Woods driving, Tempe bicycle officers Daniel East and Anibal Espinoza caught up to him while he was stopped at a red light on Mill Avenue. They asked for Woods’ ID, which he provided. They then asked him to pull over on Fifth Street, and he complied. Woods initially rebuffed an order from East to step out of the vehicle — the lawsuit notes there was heavy traffic on the street and Woods feared for his safety — but he exited after East threatened he would “make” him get out. He was immediately placed in handcuffs, walked to the side- walk and forced to sit down on the curb. The lawsuit claims — and video suggests — that Woods cooperated with police, even as he expressed frustration about the situa- tion. Still, Espinoza asked, “Why are you being so difficult?” and told him, “You should know better,” while holding up Woods’ Chicago police ID. The lawsuit alleges that Tempe officer Mark Regester, who responded to the scene after the initial stop, threatened Woods with job consequences. “You understand we have discretion here, right?” Regester said, per the suit. “You get placed under arrest and you’re going to lose your fucking job, dude.” The officers then made it clear they wanted to search the vehicle. Woods declined to give his permission. The lawsuit claims the officers decided to tow and impound the vehicle in order to facilitate an “inventory search,” citing state law as a justification. However, Arizona law states that towing is not required except in specific circumstances, like if the officer believes other people are at risk of “serious bodily injury” or the person is arrested for a DUI. The law also states that if there is another person in the car — there was in Woods’ case — then the car should not be towed unless the other person is under the influ- ence or doesn’t have a driver’s license. It is not clear why Woods’ passenger, who is not identified in the lawsuit, wasn’t allowed to leave with the car. The towing resulted in “significant additional expense to Mr. Woods,” the lawsuit says, though Taylor said he would need to check with Woods to know how much. The lawsuit claims Woods’ car was searched after it was impounded but that police “found nothing unlawful.” While in jail, Woods claims, he requested medical attention and told offi- cers that he was having difficulty breathing and needed to go to the hospital, but no medical attention was provided. After he was released, the suit says, he needed medical treatment for a bacterial infection he contracted in jail due to unsanitary conditions. He also suffered consequences at work as a result of the arrest. “This was the first time in his life being arrested and placed in handcuffs and the arrest required him to be placed on administrative leave with his employer, causing additional humiliation and damages,” the lawsuit says. The fallout Tempe prosecutors dismissed the charge against Woods on Sept. 13, 2024. However, his suit says, that was not the end of his entanglement with Tempe police. On Jan. 13 of this year, Woods served Tempe with a notice of claim, which is a precursor to a lawsuit. Within 24 hours, his lawsuit says, the Tempe Police Department “had filed or caused to be filed an internal complaint” with the Chicago Police Department against Woods. The internal complaint “falsely suggest(ed) that Mr. Woods had used his status as a Blue vs. Blue from p 14 >> p 18 Body-worn camera footage from Jalen Woods’ arrest in August 2024. (Tempe Police Department)
