(KRON) — A Richmond man was arrested for driving a faux California Freeway Patrol automobile in San Rafael, police stated. Matthew Bennett Connolly, 25, was arrested for allegedly impersonating a police officer on Wednesday and booked into the Marin County Jail.
His Chevrolet Camaro, which shows giant decals with CHP logos on the edges, was towed as proof.
Police stated Connolly was driving his Camaro on Wednesday morning on the Interstate 580 overpass close to Bellam Boulevard when San Rafael Police Division officers noticed him. His automobile was an older mannequin that the CHP used for its officers a decade in the past.
The officers didn’t acknowledge Connolly and so they grew to become suspicious.
“At first, the officer thought it was an actual CHP car and waved toward the driver. While waving, they noticed the driver was not wearing a uniform and did not appear to be a CHP officer. Officers became suspicious and made a U-turn to inspect the vehicle further,” the police division wrote.
(Picture courtesy San Rafael Police Division)
“They noticed that even though the CHP decals on the doors looked official, the vehicle did not have the proper license plates and was not registered with the state law enforcement agency. The officers made a traffic stop of the vehicle, believing it was a person impersonating a police officer and illegally driving a vehicle falsely marked as a police car,” SRPD wrote.
Police stated Connolly admitted to putting CHP decals on his Camaro and claimed that it was meant for a automobile present.
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Nevertheless, officers decided it had not been utilized in a automobile present as a result of it was just lately faraway from an impound yard.
(Picture courtesy San Rafael Police Division)
SRPD contacted the CHP and suggested them of the incident. Police are actually investigated to search out out if Connolly ever used the automobile to pose as a faux legislation enforcement officer and victimize somebody.
Anybody with info is requested to name San Rafael Police at 415-485-3000. Ideas can be made on-line at srpd.org/ideas.