Matthew Joseph Erris, from Pasco County, Florida, clearly wanted to give the impression that he was a police officer.
On the top of his Chevy Trailblazer was a police light bar and there were even red and blue lights on the vehicle's grill.
On Tuesday night, he got so into character that he flashed his fake police lights at a car in front, signally for them to pull over. But he chose the wrong person to pull over, WFLA reported.
The occupant of the car in front was a real-life police detective, working undercover. He promptly called 911 and alerted other officers, who caught up with Erris a short time later.
A search of his vehicle uncovered a "realistic looking" airsoft pistol in a holster beneath the front passenger seat. He was arrested for impersonating a law enforcement officer.
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is now examining whether he had stopped others before and has appealed to the public for information.
Legal Match.com states that It is a crime to impersonate a police officer. Although the laws vary from state to states, many states also consider it a crime to use equipment used by law enforcement, such as red and blue flashing lights or even flashing a fake badge.
Depending on state law, impersonating a law enforcement officer may be considered either a felony or a misdemeanor and can include a jail term of up to five years and a fine.
Earlier this month, another Florida man got into trouble with a vehicle, after he was arrested for allegedly driving a tractor into his wife's car to stop her from leaving their home.
Danny Lee Stewart was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, The News Herald reported. Stewart, 64, told police that his partner had been trying to leave with "his stuff."
Also this month, a man from Miami, was arrested for speeding in his 2016 Ferrari, reaching speeds of up to 100 miles per hour.
Gabriel Molina's vehicle zoomed past police at roughly 75 miles per hour but accelerated to 100 mph after the officer activated his lights and siren. The speed limit in the area is between 45 and 50 mph.
When he was stopped by police and asked why he was speeding, he replied that it was because his sports car "goes fast."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Brendan Cole is a Newsweek Senior News Reporter based in London, UK. His focus is Russia and Ukraine, in particular ... Read more
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