SPD Body Cam Still Image: Chad Christensen is shown here yelling at an officer during a traffic stop. After toxicology results showed the presence of methamphetamine, charges including four counts of aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, DUI, DUI-drug, and false reporting to law enforcement were officially filed Wednesday.
Charged with aggravated assault, and DUI
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – On Wednesday, Chad Fredrick Christensen, 49, of Thatcher, was charged with four counts of aggravated assault on a police officer – two Class-4 felonies and two Class-5 felonies – resisting arrest – a Class-6 felony, DUI, DUI-drug, and false reporting to law enforcement – all Class-1 misdemeanors.
Christensen was arrested April 16 and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility after a common traffic stop went awry. During his arrest, blood was taken for DUI-testing purposes.
On Aug. 13, the Safford Police received a toxicology report from the Arizona Department of Public Safety Southern Regional Crime Laboratory regarding the blood sample taken from Christensen during his arrest. The report listed Christensen was positive for amphetamine at 92 nanograms per milliliter of blood (ng/ml) and methamphetamine at 160 ng/ml of blood.
According to Safford Police reports regarding the incident, Christensen was extremely agitated after being pulled over for minor traffic violations and appeared to be under the influence of some type of drug. Officers had encountered Christensen earlier in the day and noted he could not stand still and was making very fast, animated, jerky movements.
During the traffic stop, Christensen exhibited the same type of behavior, which led the officer to begin a DUI-drug investigation. Christensen later advised he had taken various prescription medications that morning without food as recommended. The medications were later found in a safe in Christensen’s truck, along with a .45-caliber handgun. A large Bowie knife and a wooden club were also located inside the truck.
Body camera footage from the investigating officer shows Christensen acting erratically and repeatedly cursing at the officer while calling family members to respond to the scene to video the interaction. When the officer requests Christensen’s driver’s license and registration – an everyday occurrence during a traffic stop – he is met with an accusation of harassment.
After receiving the required documents, the officer informed Christensen to exit the vehicle, and Christensen initially refused. Christensen then abruptly opened his truck door, slightly striking the officer in the process.
Christensen then closed the door and again refused to exit his truck and had to be forcibly removed from the vehicle. He then seemingly resisted as the officers attempted to place him into custody. At that time, his wife drove up to the scene and stopped in the middle of the street.
After Christensen was placed into custody, he can be heard apologizing for striking the officer with the door by saying, “I didn’t mean to do that.” The second officer then replies, “Yes, you did.”
The following video contains profanities from Christensen and is not safe for work (NSFW) audio with viewer discretion advised.
Christensen will now be given a summons to appear in court to answer to his charges and an attorney will be provided for him if he cannot afford to hire one. If Graham County Justice of the Peace District 1 Judge Gary Griffith finds the case has merit at a preliminary hearing or if the hearing is waived, Christensen will then be arraigned in Graham County Superior Court. Graham County does not use a grand jury to conduct legal proceedings and investigate potential criminal conduct to determine if criminal charges should be brought and instead relies on its Justice Court judges at preliminary hearings to take its place.
