Police in Montgomery County, Maryland, said a man represented himself as a police officer and conducted a traffic stop on MD 200 — the Intercounty Connector — in what may have been an incident motivated by road rage. They they want to know whether if the man stopped any other drivers.
Yerko Pallominy-Arce, 30, of Rockville, told police he conducted the traffic stop on someone who cut him off while using a cellphone, Capt. Tom Jordan, spokesman for Montgomery County police, said.
“He was upset, and he used flashing red and blue lights to pull someone over and talk to them about it,” Jordan said.
Officers from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police saw an orange, two-door Scion with flashing red and blue lights on the shoulder of the ICC on Feb. 22.
The officers found that the driver of the Scion conducted a traffic stop by using flashing red and blue lights to pull over another vehicle.
If you ever question the legitimacy of someone claiming to be an officer, Jordan said to be proactive.
“If you’re confused and you’re worried that this may be somebody that is not a police officer pulling you over, call 911,” Jordan said, noting dispatchers will sort it out. “We’ve had occasions like this, and our dispatchers will identify that they are, in fact police officers, and advise the person to pull to the side.”
Anyone who may have experienced something similar should call Montgomery County police at 240-773-5958.
Pallominy-Arce has been charged with impersonating a police officer and other related charges. He is scheduled to be in court on March 21.
