A man was arrested for impersonating a motorcycle police officer in Hemet and charged with several crimes including being a felon in possession of various weapons, according to police.
The Hemet Police Department posted on social media that their officers pulled over a man who was wearing what appeared to be a badge, police uniform and riding a motorcycle with “Traffic” emblazoned on the side. The post states that officers observed him violating several traffic laws. He is said to have had two Taser devices, a baton and pepper spray.
The man is a convicted felon, the department reported, which it makes it a crime for him to have been armed with the various weapons. It is also a crime to impersonate a police officer.
Police said Marshal Goodnight was arrested, cited and released, as the crimes are all misdemeanors. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office had not yet filed charges against him.
Photos show he was wearing a vest and uniform similar to those worn by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. And the man had a “Traffic” patch on his vest and a notebook labeled “Sheriff”.
Christopher Damien covers public safety and the criminal justice system for The Desert Sun. He can be reached at christopher.damien@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Convicted felon accused of impersonating motorcycle police officer in Hemet
Reporting by Christopher Damien, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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