A man was recently detained in Stockton for taking the advice “fake it ’til you make it” too seriously.
On July 6, California Highway Patrol officers detained Kevin Michael Silva for driving a vehicle that resembled a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office patrol cruiser, police stated in a social media post Tuesday. The truck was not stolen, but it did have markings and paint that made it look legitimate.
A patrol officer observed the motorist, Kevin Michael Silva, on State Route 99 at Yosemite Avenue at 10:13 p.m. The officer saw the “Los Angeles” lettering on the car, which was parked between the shoulder and the road, officials said.
When the police attempted to “make contact,” a brief patrol-on-fake-patrol car chase ensued before the officer apprehended the fleeing vehicle at the Yosemite Avenue exit ramp. The CHP later confirmed that Silva was driving an “unauthorized law enforcement patrol vehicle.”
According to the CHP, officers arrested Silva for driving under the influence of alcohol and driving an illegal police enforcement vehicle.
The CHP offered advice on determining if a traffic stop is legitimate or a possibly hazardous impostor.
A true law enforcement vehicle will always have emergency lights and sirens, and the officer will be dressed in an official uniform complete with a badge and nameplate. An officer will also explain the reason for the stop.
Drivers who are concerned that a person performing a traffic stop is not an officer should call 9-1-1 to verify.
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