Arizona: Photo Radar Van Driver Murdered
The driver of a speed camera van in Phoenix, Arizona was murdered on the side of the road.
Doug GeorgianniThe driver of a speed camera van in Phoenix, Arizona was shot and killed on Sunday. Doug Georgianni, 51, had parked his Redflex van, a Ford Escape marked as a Department of Public Safety (DPS) police vehicle, on the Loop 101 freeway near 7th Avenue. At around 8:50pm, a 1985 Chevy Suburban pulled alongside the van and fired at least five shots, killing Georgianni.
As all speed camera vans are fully automated, Georgianni had nothing to do with issuing citations beyond driving the van to predetermined locations and waiting for his shift to end so he could drive the van back. Georgianni, a professional golfer, had only been doing the job with Redflex for three months when the killer struck.
“At the time that Mr Georgianni was killed, he was on the phone with his wife,” Phoenix Police Sergeant Andy Hill said. “It was a very tragic moment. You can imagine the horror for the widow.”
Based on eyewitness accounts from other motorists, police believe they caught the shooter who was booked today on the charge of first-degree murder.
“Statements were made by the suspect that implicated him in the crime,” Hill said, without explaining further while the investigation is ongoing.
Hill said the motivation for the shooting is unknown. The suspect has no photo radar or speeding tickets of any kind on his record.