GLENDALE, AZ — Two men are behind bars and facing numerous felony charges after one of them fired a gun at the vehicle of an undercover detective with the Glendale Police Department, according to the police agency.
The detective was not injured in the drive-by shooting, a spokesperson said.
Police identified the suspects as Johnny Carlos Guzman Jr., the alleged driver, and Juan Antonio Borquez II, the alleged shooter. Both are currently on probation for other felony offenses, according to police.
The situation began on Thursday afternoon when Glendale police located a vehicle in Phoenix that had been reported stolen days earlier and began to follow the vehicle and the people inside of it.
Police said a detective followed the vehicle into a roundabout near 124th Avenue and Windsor Blvd. There, the vehicle made a U-Turn and passed the detective.
"The passenger sat on the rolled down SUV doorframe window holding onto the roof of the vehicle and fired several shots towards the detective’s vehicle. The unmarked police vehicle was struck at least once," a news release said.
The detective told police that the suspects also drove into oncoming traffic and began to drive directly at the detective's vehicle.
Both suspects were followed to the area of El Mirage Road and Indian School Road where detectives in marked vehicles took them into custody. Police said a semi-automatic handgun was found in the vehicle.
Borquez, the alleged shooter, was booked into jail on four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, drive by shooting, possession of a weapon by a prohibited possessor, discharging a firearm within city limits, and criminal damage.
Guzman was booked into jail on charges of drive by shooting, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of weapon by prohibited possessor, possession of dangerous drugs, and unlawful flight from law enforcement.
In post-Miranda interviews, Guzman reportedly told police that he knew the vehicle was "probably" stolen and that he knew he was being followed by police. He also reportedly told detectives that "he would not have surrendered had the stolen vehicle not run out of gasoline," a news release said.
Borquez reportedly admitted to shooting the gun at the detective's vehicle.
