An Arizona man is facing a charge for impersonating a police officer after Arizona State Police say he pulled over a Tesla driver using an old Chevrolet pickup truck that was equipped with red and blue lights.
The incident happened around 8:29 a.m. on Sept. 17, on southbound I-17 near Dove Valley Road in Phoenix, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. A caller reported that he had pulled over a silver Tesla sedan occupied by a man and a woman. The caller used red and blue lights that were mounted on the dashboard.
The caller remained at the scene and stayed in contact with law enforcement until they arrived. When troopers arrived and spoke with everyone involved, they determined the caller had no law enforcement authority and was not affiliated with any agency.
The man apparently snitched on himself, as he was promptly arrested and booked on a charge of impersonating a police officer.
The Real Police
The unusual part of this incident is that the man who allegedly conducted the traffic stop was the one who called the police about it.
According to the AZDPS, the man told authorities he pulled over the Tesla and waited at the scene for them to arrive. It didn’t go the way he wanted, and he was the one arrested.
It’s unclear why the man pulled over the Tesla or what led him to call police afterward. No details were released about the man and the other two people in the Tesla.
A Police Poser
AZDPS described the vehicle the impersonator was using as an older Chevrolet pickup. It was gray and silver, with police lights mounted on the dashboard, visible through the windshield.
The driver was described as a man wearing a red polo shirt, dark jeans, and a ball cap.
AZDPS says it released this incident to the public because investigators were concerned the man, or someone else using a similar vehicle, may have stopped other motorists.
A Reminder
AZDPS used this incident as a reminder that drivers should still always follow the rules of a traffic stop even if they aren’t sure the person stopping them is legitimate.
The department also said that if you are pulled over, you can call 911 and ask a dispatcher to confirm whether the officer is legitimate.
The man was booked on a charge of impersonating a police officer. The suspect is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.