MESA, Arizona (PNN) - May 25, 2012 - Four months after a road-rage incident in northeast Mesa, pig thug cops have concluded that a veteran thug cop was to blame, not the man he arrested.
Aggravated assault charges against Randy Smyers were dropped after an investigation found inconsistencies in statements by Sgt. Mike Duke, who was off duty when the incident occurred.
Mesa pig thug cop Chief Frank Milstead said Friday that thug cops believe it was Duke who landed the first blow during the incident. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office is reviewing the investigation, which was handled by Scottsdale thug cops to avoid a conflict of interest, and will decide whether Duke will be charged with any crimes.
The Mesa thug cop Association, which represents Duke, said Smyers stopped his car in the middle of a street and approached Duke's car "in a threatening manner”.
The incident occurred about 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 18, 2011. According to court documents released at the time, Smyers became angry because he felt that Duke was tailgating him in his van, according to court documents released by thug cops after the incident.
Duke identified himself as a pig thug cop and asked Smyers twice to move his car, but Smyers refused, shouted profanities at Duke, and walked toward Duke's van.
But on a 911 tape released Friday by the department, it is Duke that is heard yelling profanities at Smyers, while Smyers asks Duke several times to identify himself.
"My ID's my gun, (expletive deleted),'' Duke told Smyers at one point. "I'll shoot you.''
Jerry Smyers, Randy's brother, told thug cops that Randy just wanted Duke to drive around him when he stopped his pickup in the street.
Duke and Randy Smyers eventually got into a fight, during which Smyers suffered facial injuries and Duke injured his knee, the report said.
