Lauren Pespisa

Eric Wayne Baker was traffic-stopped by Phoenix PD for riding a bicycle without a front light, assaulted during rough arrest, tasered multiple times and restrained until he died during arrest. Eric Wayne Baker Age: 52 Gender: Male Race: White Date: 04/04/2026 Location: Buena Apartments, 1400 block of W. Dobson Road / University Drive and Dobson Road City: Mesa County: Maricopa State: Arizona Agency: Mesa Police Department Officer(s): Not Disclosed Cause of Death: Taser Event: Died after police foot pursuit, physical restraint and multiple Taser deployments during traffic stop for riding bicycle without front light On 04/04/2026 at approximately 8:30 p.m., Mesa Police Department officers saw 52-year-old Eric Wayne Baker riding a bicycle near University Drive and Dobson Road. Police said the bicycle lacked a required front light. Officers activated emergency lights and sirens, and Baker continued west on University Drive before entering the Buena Apartments. Two officers pursued him on foot while a third drove around the complex. Baker crashed his bicycle onto a concrete walkway. Police said Baker pulled away, would not give officers his hands, attempted to get up and kicked at officers as they tried to arrest him. During the approximately one-minute-and-35-second struggle, officers physically struck Baker and deployed Tasers multiple times. Three officers eventually handcuffed him. Police also learned Baker had an active felony warrant related to a probation revocation. Bystander video presents a disputed view of the struggle. The recording shows three officers restraining Baker on the ground. Baker's face appears bloodied, and he can repeatedly be heard saying that he cannot breathe. A witness told ABC15 that Baker was not fighting officers but was pleading for help. Baker's daughter, Charlee Baker, later disputed the police account that her father assaulted an officer. Police said approximately 45 seconds after Baker was handcuffed, officers moved him onto his side. About 40 seconds later they requested an expedited medical response. Police said Baker continued yelling, kicking and moving on the ground, and responding medical personnel were initially unable to obtain his vital signs because of his movement. Baker was placed in an ambulance for transport to a hospital. He became unresponsive during transport. Resuscitation efforts were begun, but he died. Baker's family retained civil-rights attorney Benjamin Taylor and questioned the amount of force used during an encounter that began with a bicycle-light violation. Three months after Baker's death, the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's autopsy findings had still not been released. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office currently lists Baker's in-custody death investigation as “Awaiting submittal,” with Mesa Police Department as the investigating agency. The three involved officers were placed on 40 hours of critical-incident leave and later returned to duty. Mesa Police did not refer the death to an outside agency, stating that it did not meet the East Valley Critical Incident Response Team's criteria. The department's Critical Incident Review Board, including Internal Affairs and Training Division personnel, is reviewing the incident. Weapon(s): None reported. SOURCE LINKS: azfamily.com/2026/04/07/mesa… azfamily.com/2026/04/06/man-… abc15.com/news/region-southe… abc15.com/news/region-southe… abc15.com/news/region-southe… abc15.com/news/region-southe… fox10phoenix.com/news/man-di… kjzz.org/kjzz-news/2026-04-0… maricopacountyattorney.org/5… univision.com/local/arizona-…