I'm Not Drunk! - And You're No Cop

Feb-03-06

The traffic cones diverting traffic into one lane of Highway1431 in Round Rock, Texas looked real enough. So did the flashing red and blue  lights on the black and white cruiser. The unmarked car parked nearby looked official. The two men claiming  to be police officers looked like cops.

The men pulled over several cars  at I-35 and Highway1431. They told drivers they were conducting a sobriety checkpoint.

This was no legal sobriety checkpoint. According to Williamson County attorney Jana Duty, sobriety checkpoints are illegal in Texas.

One woman's car was searched, her drivers license checked and she was even asked to take a breathalyzer test.

"She said it was two officers," Duty said. "The first officer asked for a driver's license, insurance, then gave it to another officer in what one witnessed described an unmarked white Crown Victoria. They told her they needed to search her car, asked her to get out, looked in the trunk, then shut it, and then asked her to actually blow into a portable breath test."
 

"It's either rogue police officers, who are licensed peace officers, who didn't get authorization to do this," Duty told reporters with KEYE-TV. "Or it was someone impersonating a police officer, which to me is the more bizarre situation because it was so brazen for them to do it in the open, well lit, well traveled area. That's what is so unusual about it."

Police have released a sketch of the man as described by a witness. Duty believes others may have more information.

"What we are looking for is people who might have been pulled over that evening or passed it and might have information about it," Duty said. "Did they notice the cars? Were they marked? Is there anything they can remember about these police officers? We're just looking for information."

It isn't known how many motorists were stopped by the bogus sobriety screen or what may have motivated the two men.One subject is described as as a white male with a mustache and a short haircut.

Witnesses are asked to contact Williamson County authorities at (512) 943-1111.

If you recognize the suspect, or you saw anything on the night of Jan. 20, Williamson County wants to hear from you.

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