PHOENIX — A member of the Phoenix Fire Department is accused of sexually assaulting a woman after a night with friends.
Carlos Encinas, 25, allegedly told the victim, “There is no excuse” after police say he had sex with her without her consent, while she was intoxicated and after repeatedly telling him to stop.
According to the police report, Encinas and the victim were friends but never romantically involved.
The victim was out with a group in downtown Phoenix on March 17 when she told Encinas that she wasn’t comfortable driving back.
Encinas drove her home and asked to use her bathroom when they arrived. According to police, the woman believed she went to bed fully clothed and woke up while Encinas was raping her.
The woman told Encinas to stop several times, according to the report. But Encinas allegedly continued forcing himself on her.
A day later, Encinas apologized for sexually assaulting her in a text conversation and blamed it on alcohol, according to the police report.
“There is no excuse, and I’m not going to say or do anything that could change it,” police investigators say he texted. “It’s not an excuse, but drinking didn’t help.”
“I [sic] never been in this situation before, and it just sucks this happened to us.”
After his arrest, Encinas told investigators that he didn’t hear the victim telling him to stop and that he thought the sex was consensual.
He also said that he believed the victim was flirting with him that night, but a witness denied this and said the victim was no more friendly than usual, according to the report.
Encinas was also accused of sexually assaulting a different woman in 2020 while she was intoxicated.
Encinas faces one count of sexual assault and was held on $10,000 bail.
The Phoenix Fire Department issued the following statement following his arrest:
The Phoenix Fire Department is aware of the police investigation of Carlos Encinas. At this time, Carlos is still employed as a firefighter with the Phoenix Fire Department.
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