Phoenix-area police officer charged with sexually assaulting victim in squad car
May 27, 2016, 11:17 AM | Updated: 1:05 pm
Salt River Police Department officer Jay Hun Wu was charged with sexual assault. (Scottsdale Police Department Photo)
(Scottsdale Police Department Photo)
PHOENIX — A Phoenix-area police officer was arrested Thursday for allegedly assaulting a woman in his squad car while giving her a ride home.
The Scottsdale Police Department said Jay Hun Wu, an officer with the Salt River Police Department, allegedly assaulted the woman on March 29.
Wu was driving the 43-year-old woman, who was the victim of another crime, home when the alleged assault took place. Police said Wu drove past the woman’s home despite her pleas for him to let her out and stopped in a residential area near Shea Boulevard and 96th Street and got out of the car.
Wu then opened the back door of his squad car and told the unidentified victim that he had to pat her down before he could release her. He then allegedly sexually assaulted the woman.
“Sexual assault under the statute means touching, groping, things like that,” Scottsdale Police Sgt. Ben Hoster said.
Police said Wu gave his business card to the woman after the assault and told her to call him if she were to need anything.
Wu, 45, was charged with kidnapping, sexual abuse, unlawful sexual conduct of a peace officer, assault and tampering with physical evidence.
A Salt River Police Department spokesman, Detective Ed Alameda, said Wu is on administrative leave. Alameda would not specify when the leave began or comment further on the case.
Scottsdale police said Wu’s department was cooperating fully with the investigation.
KTAR’s Jim Cross and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
