Muskogee Police Arrest Man Accused Of Impersonating Officer

Muskogee Police arrested a man accused of impersonating an officer and driving under the influence.

Officers told News on 6 they were called out to the intersection of York Street and Gibson Avenue for a fender-bender Friday night. However, they said things took a turn when the suspect not only had a weapon in had the car but lied about being an officer. 

23-year-old Justin Wilson is in the Muskogee County Jail facing four charges: driving while intoxicated, having an open container in the car, carrying a weapon in the car while intoxicated, and lying about being a reserve deputy. 

Records show Wilson rear-ended another driver. Officers said Wilson had an open box of beer and a loaded firearm in his car, while claiming to be a McCurtain County reserve deputy.

“He said he was an off-duty officer at the scene of the crash and when we booked him into the jail," said Deputy Chief Reggie Cotton.

Cotton said DUI’s are unfortunately common, but impersonating an officer is not.

“It’s a serious offense. Because in law enforcement, people take that authority figure very serious. And you take that authority to the point where people are in a submissive role and they’ll do pretty much an officer needs them to do,” Cotton said. "When you have a person, and he’s going around telling law enforcement and probably anybody else that he is in fact an officer, we take that very serious.”

No one was hurt in the crash, but Cotton said they are glad they got Wilson off the street. 

“Anytime someone says they’re law enforcement to the general public and you’re unsure of it, call us right away and will find out,” Cotton urged.