A California man accused of impersonating a police officer was nabbed when he pulled over an off-duty sheriff's deputy.
According to the Monterey County Sheriff's Office, the incident happened early Sunday when an off-duty sergeant with the department was stopped by a Chevrolet Malibu with flashing red and blue lights on its grill, KSBW-TV reports. But after the sergeant pulled over, no one exited the Malibu, and the vehicle drove off.
The sergeant contacted Greenfield police and followed the Malibu. Officers then arrested the Malibu's driver—Clemente Martinez—as he pulled into his home.
“He's either the most unlucky person on the planet the one time he tries to pull this off he tries to stop an off-duty peace officer," John Thornburg, a spokesman with the sheriff's office, told KSBW. "Chances are that's not the case. He has probably stopped other people."
According to police, Martinez also was allegedly drunk driving at the time, and his license had been suspended. He told officers that he had pulled over the sergeant because he suspected the deputy was intoxicated.
“I guess in one sense we can say we were lucky here he tried to stop a sergeant who recognized what was going on and was able to turn that around to get him stopped,” Thornburg said.
