Most traffic stops aren’t funny, but some are, and that’s why we cover them. People arguing with police on the side of the road about probable cause usually aren’t funny either.
However, a man shows up at a traffic stop at 2:45 in the morning, dressed like he just left prom, introducing himself as an attorney, discussing probable cause, and attempting to represent the driver on the shoulder of Interstate 95? That’s pure Florida Man gold.
Bodycam footage of the encounter has been published by multiple Florida news outlets, including WESH, ClickOrlando, and The Space Coast Rocket. If the story sounds too strange to be real, there is bodycam footage, jail records, and reporting from multiple local outlets documenting the incident.
The bizarre roadside legal consultation happened during an April 25 traffic stop on Interstate 95 after officers discovered suspected drugs inside a vehicle and began questioning the driver. That’s when Derek Zachery Schaufus, 30, of Palm Bay, arrived on scene.
Police Say a Suit and Confidence Weren’t Enough
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Bodycam footage shows Schaufus approaching officers dressed in a full suit and tie before immediately diving into a discussion about probable cause and legal procedure.
“You want to go over probable cause so we can just see what’s going on here?” he asks in the video.
At one point, an officer asks a question that most people never hear during a roadside stop.
“You’re her attorney?”
“I’m her representative, yes,” Schaufus replies.
The officer’s response may be the understatement of the year.
“That’s a first.”
The video also shows Schaufus repeatedly attempting to discuss probable cause and citations while referring to the driver as his client.
“I’m just not gonna sit here and have court roadside,” one officer eventually tells him.
That is probably the most polite possible way to explain that the shoulder of Interstate 95 is not a courtroom.
Whatever Schaufus’ strategy was, it apparently did not end with the driver going home.
Police Say the Story Started Falling Apart
WESH reports that Schaufus identified himself as a real attorney and claimed he was qualified to practice law.
When officers asked for proof, he reportedly pulled up that attorney’s website and claimed the firm’s secretary used the name “Derek Schaufus.” The phone number he provided as his office line was later traced back to him personally.
Police eventually contacted the attorney whose name was used. The attorney told investigators he was not present at the traffic stop, had never authorized Schaufus to represent him, and did not employ him at his firm.
The Space Coast Rocket reports that the attorney had previously represented Schaufus in a DUI case. The outlet also reports that investigators subpoenaed records from The Florida Bar and found no record of Schaufus being licensed to practice law.
Additionally, the outlet reports that messages recovered from the driver’s phone showed Schaufus discussing legal matters and quoting a $250 fee for his services.
ClickOrlando reports that the driver told investigators she believed Schaufus was an attorney because he had represented himself as one during previous conversations.
This Is Why Police Say He Was Arrested
It’s worth noting that wearing a suit is not illegal.
Neither is showing up at a traffic stop, although doing so at 2:45 a.m. in formalwear is certainly one way to attract attention.
Police say the issue was what happened after Schaufus arrived.
Investigators say he falsely represented himself as a licensed attorney, attempted to negotiate on the driver’s behalf, used another attorney’s identity, and offered legal services despite not being licensed to practice law.
Brevard County jail records show Schaufus was booked on June 8th with one felony charge and two misdemeanor charges. He was released later that same day after posting a total bond of $3,500.
The Father’s Quote May Be the Most Florida Part of the Entire Story
WESH reports that officers later went to Schaufus’ Palm Bay home and asked his father a simple question:
Was his son actually a lawyer?
The response has quickly become one of the most memorable details in the case.
The father reportedly laughed and replied, “No, but he’s known to be the street lawyer.”
That may not carry much weight with the Florida Bar, but it certainly explains why Schaufus appeared so comfortable discussing legal procedure on the shoulder of Interstate 95 in the middle of the night.
Online, many viewers compared the incident to a real-life episode of Suits, while others joked that Schaufus attended “Roadside Court” instead of law school.
What remains difficult to argue, however, is that few people have ever walked into a traffic stop with more confidence than the man police say tried to turn the side of I-95 into a pop-up law office.
Information in this article is based on bodycam footage, jail records, and reporting by local news outlets. Criminal charges are accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.