Charges: Willard man pulled over drivers he found 'irritating'
A Willard man was charged Monday with impersonating a police officer after the Greene County Sheriff's Office says he used red and blue lights to correct the behavior of other drivers he found "irritating."
Jacob Trammell, 20, told deputies he has been a student in the Missouri Sheriff's Association Law Enforcement Academy since January 2015 and has had the lights installed in his personal vehicle since November 2014, according to court documents. He told deputies he has never had a permit allowing him to have the lights.
Deputies said they found Trammell's vehicle on April 20 after a driver pulled over to let Trammell's vehicle pass, due to the flashing lights. The driver realized it was not an official police vehicle and notified authorities.
Trammell told deputies he had activated his lights to correct traffic issues "on so many occasions that he could not recall every incident." He also used them to assist citizens with traffic accidents, according to court documents.
Trammel told deputies he had made approximately three traffic stops on U.S. Highway 65 using the lights, but during the stops told the people what he thought about their driving before letting them go.
Jacob said he believed the people he stopped thought he was a law enforcement officer and told deputies "Having the car and the lights helped."
Trammell said numerous times that he was aware it was against the law to activate the lights and portray himself as a law enforcement officer, deputies said.
Trammell's bond was set at $2,500. He does not have a lawyer listed in online court documents.