A teenager in Kentucky is accused of pretending to be a cop after he pulled over a driver that he believed was speeding. The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office has accused a 19-year-old for deciding to take matters into his own hands by turning on emergency lights on his vehicle, which looks similar to an official police patrol car, and bringing another motorist to a halt. However, the driver noticed that the teenager wasn’t a cop and later called 911 about the incident.
Noble says he had a valid reason for pulling the driver over
On August 8 near 11:00 p.m., a deputy arrested Korie Matthew Noble for impersonating a peace officer, according to a report by WKYT and a post from the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office on its official Facebook page.
Police say that Noble was driving a white Ford Expedition with decals from a sheriff’s department outside of Laurel County when he activated red flashing lights on his vehicle and pulled over a driver that he thought was speeding. The sheriff’s office reminds motorists that law enforcement vehicles will flash blue lights when pulling them over.
After the driver stopped, Noble approached the motorist and asked why he was speeding. But when the driver asked Noble for his identification, he couldn’t produce it. The motorist later told dispatchers that Noble said his badge was in his truck.
In his defense, Noble said from jail that he pulled over the motorist because he and others had been victims of road rage in the past.
“I activated my red and white emergency lights. I previously worked for the fire department,” Noble recounted, saying that he made it clear that he wasn’t an officer. “I walked up to him. Said I am not a cop. Asking him is there a good reason you’re going close to 100 miles per hour?”
The teenager explained that the Ford Expedition was a police vehicle that was sold and used later as a firefighter vehicle, which Noble purchased. He is also charged for having improper emergency safety lights and failing to produce an insurance card.
Despite having good intentions, Noble says he has learned his lesson and regrets stopping the motorist.
“I would not have activated my emergency lights,” he said. “I would have let them be a stupid individual.”
