FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) — A South Florida man is now behind bars after Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies said he was pretending to be a police officer.
Jeffrey Jean, is accused of using flashing lights and sirens to rush through traffic. Deputies also found tactical law enforcement gear, including a gun belt with a loaded handgun, a "public safety officer" vest, a stun gun and pepper spray.
According to a police report obtained by 7News, deputies spotted Jean driving a 2016 Black Chevy Malibu while on the wrong side of the road in Fort Lauderdale. The report states he was tailgating a car, cutting from left to right in traffic, all with emergency red lights and sirens on. Drivers reportedly were running stop signs to move away from what they believed was an emergency vehicle coming towards them on the wrong side of the road.
Jean was arrested by deputies on Sunday, around 1 a.m., near Northwest 24th Avenue and Ninth Court. When Jean was pulled over, the officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana. He told the officer, "No, I don’t have any drugs. They were in my trunk. We confiscate them from the clubs, I put them in my trunk to get rid of it."
He is being charged with impersonating a police officer, false imprisonment, battery, possession of marijuana, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, reckless driving, drug paraphernalia, use of emergency lights and sirens, improper horn along with some other charges.
Jean is being held without bond because he has prior arrests for battery, false imprisonment, impersonating a police officer and burglary.