TEMPE, AZ — ASU senior Eryn Bonner has been criminally charged in connection with a violent arrest on Mill Avenue in July.
A Tempe spokesperson confirmed to ABC15 that Bonner faces two misdemeanor charges in Tempe City Court: disorderly conduct under state law and interfering with police under city code.
Bonner, a member of the ASU stunt team, was left with bruises for days following the encounter. Her attorney, Benjamin Taylor, has said the officer who took her to the ground should be fired, calling his actions "very excessive" and accusing the city of targeting his client.
"This is the way to try to cover up the officer's wrongdoing," Taylor said. "Two months later, to pursue these charges seems very vindictive."
Tempe previously told ABC15 Bonner punched the officer several times. Video of the incident appears to show that moment, with the officer sitting over Bonner before striking her.
The Tempe Officers Association shared a statement supporting the charging decision and standing by officers' actions.
"The filing of charges against Ms. Bonner aligns with what the complete video evidence has shown from the beginning: This incident was far different from the brief clip circulated on social media and her attorney's repeated misstatements about the facts of the case.
The video shows Ms. Bonner repeatedly ignoring officers’ commands to step back while they were attempting to control an active arrest. TOA remains confident that the officers acted appropriately under difficult circumstances. The relevant video has been released. The case remains under internal review and, when that is complete, the full facts and analysis will be available for public review. We see no basis for a third-party investigation."
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office declined to pursue felony charges. An initial misdemeanor charge was filed and later dismissed before Tempe refiled the case with additional misdemeanor charges.
A city spokesperson previously said the original charge was dropped to allow prosecutors to refile it alongside additional charges after reviewing all available evidence.
"Usually, when cities bring charges months later, it's trying to cover up for their civil liability," Taylor said, noting that civil action cannot typically be filed when someone is convicted of a crime.
An internal review of the incident is still ongoing, a Tempe Police Department spokesperson said. They did not directly acknowledge a question asking if a third-party investigation will be conducted, only saying "no additional updates are available at this time."
Taylor has repeatedly called for an external review of the arrest, saying the sergeant overseeing Tempe's investigation was previously suspended in a use of force case. The city's police union has pushed back, calling the move an attack on the investigation's integrity.
Taylor said Bonner has pleaded not guilty. A pretrial conference is scheduled for Nov. 4 in Tempe City Court.
