Delaware State Police
News Release

Man Arrested After Impersonating a Police Officer

Released Thursday January 10, 2008

Milford – On January 9, 2008 at approximately 7:13 pm, troopers responded to the area of the Milford Wal-Mart after 911 was called by citizen reporting a possible Impersonation of Police Officer. The citizen informed the police dispatcher that when he left the Wal-Mart in his vehicle, via the service road in the rear of the store, another vehicle pulled in behind his with no lights on.

This same vehicle then activated its headlights which were flashing red and blue. The man thinking a police officer was behind him began to pull over when the vehicle behind him continued to flash its headlights on and off while blue and red strobes were being displayed. The citizen felt uncomfortable with what was transpiring and was unable to see any other identifying marks on the car behind him to indicate it was a police officer. Because of this he called 911 to report the incident. At this point the vehicle behind him passed him and he observed it to be a blue Volvo 940 and not a police vehicle.

The citizen was able to provide the police dispatcher with a detailed description and license plate of the vehicle. This information was provided to all police officers in the area to be on the lookout for. Later that evening at approximately 9:10 pm, a trooper assigned to the Governors Task Force in Kent County observed blue Volvo travelling on Williamsburg Drive in the area of the Super 8 Motel (Milford area). The Volvo failed to stop at a stop sign on Williamsburg road near the entrance to the parking lot of the Super 8 prompting the trooper to conduct a traffic stop. At this point the trooper also observed the license plate and realized it was the same vehicle involved in the earlier incident.

During the course of the investigation, troopers contacted Justin R. Sherman, 21 of Houston, DE who was the operator and a passenger. Troopers learned the Volvo had red and blue strobes and that Mr. Sherman was involved in the incident at Wal-Mart. Additional investigation revealed the Volvo was displaying a fictitious registration.

At the conclusion of the investigation, it was determined Mr. Sherman had no lawful reason for operating these red and blue lights on his vehicle and was charges with the following offenses: Impersonating a Police Officer (felony) and traffic offenses including Fictitious Registration, No Proof of Insurance, Unregistered Vehicle and Prohibited Flashing Lights. He was committed to Delaware Correctional Center in lieu of a $500.00 secured bond.