Officer Hardin was implicated in the death of Jered Pendleton, who was found deceased on a road in Goodyear. Hardin reported hitting something in the road on the night of Pendleton’s death, and subsequent investigations revealed blood and a shoe print on his patrol car. However, the Goodyear Police Department failed to properly investigate Hardin’s involvement, and initial police reports did not mention him. The department was accused of concealing evidence and not disclosing Hardin’s history of reckless driving. This led to a lawsuit alleging a cover-up and failure to disclose critical information to Pendleton’s family. ([casetext.com](https://casetext.com/case/pendleton-v-city-of-goodyear?utm_source=openai))
[Return to blog post](https://watchaudits.com/officer-hardin-goodyear-police-department/)
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