Authorities have arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of a man who was operating a state police photo radar unit along a Phoenix freeway, a police official said Monday.
Phoenix police spokesman Sgt. Andy Hill said in a statement that detectives were questioning the suspect and that more information about the investigation would be released later. He did not identify the suspect.
Doug Georgianni, 51, was shot Sunday night while collecting data inside a photo enforcement SUV along a freeway. He died later at a hospital.
Video equipment onboard the SUV, which is marked as an Arizona Department of Public Safety vehicle, recorded a vehicle investigators believe was used during the shooting. Its driver was described as a man apparently in his 60s with white hair and a white mustache.
Georgianni had worked for three months for RedFlex Traffic Systems Inc. The company has a contract with DPS to operate photo enforcement vehicles and fixed cameras on state highways.
Before police announced the arrest, Redflex said it took its 40 radar vehicles out of service out of concern for the safety of its employees.
Critics say Arizona's statewide photo enforcement program, launched in September under former Gov. Janet Napolitano, is costly and unfair to motorists.
Its proponents say the program saves lives by slowing motorists and frees up police to tackle other problems.
The program sends notices to owners of vehicles photographed going at least 11 mph above the posted limit. Civil violations are punishable by a fine and surcharges totaling $181. Through Jan. 31, 34,000 motorists had paid.
