Two SEPTA cops fired, charged with attacking drunk man

An allegedly unwarranted attack on an intoxicated man at Frankford Transportation Center led to two SEPTA cops losing their jobs and facing criminal charges.

The SEPTA cops are accused in connection to a December attack on a man at Frankford Transportation Center, according to the transit agency.

David Simcox, 29, is charged with aggravated assault, while Johnathan Lanciano, 29, is charged with simple assault. Both are charged with recklessly endangering another person and filing false reports.

The duo were fired earlier this year after an internal investigation into the arrest of a man who claimed he was unjustly attacked, while officers said he resisted arrest, SEPTA said.

SEPTA police were called to the SEPTA station around 12:32 a.m. on Dec. 12, 2017 on reports of an intoxicated person in the track area.

The victim, who has not been identified, was found sitting on the edge of the platform with his legs hanging over when officers arrived. But according to SEPTA, station surveillance and body-worn camera footage showed that during the course of their arrest, they attacked the victim without provocation.

“The review concluded that the officers punched the victim several times, resulting in injuries including a broken nose. The officers were not injured,” SEPTA said in a press release. “The victim did not strike the officers or make any movements that could have been construed as reaching for a weapon. The victim was not found to be in possession of any weapons.”

The officers could not be reached for comment.