The Friendswood police officer who pulled over Estevan Acosta on December 22 was working off duty at the time. He was actually on his way to work in his personal car. Investigators say he when he questioned Acosta, the former security guard's story just didn't add up.
No one answered the door at Acosta's Alvin apartment. The 23-year-old former security guard is accused of misrepresenting himself as a peace officer. Friendswood police arrested him Thursday night after he was pulled over for reckless driving.
"The erratic driving consisted of running stop signs, traveling 50 miles an hour in a 20 mph zone and then making high speed turns," said Chief R. Wieners with the Friendswood Police Department.
As the officer approached Acosta, he noticed he was wearing a pistol on his hip and a black jacket with the word 'Police' on the front and back. He also noticed a badge on his belt and blue police lights inside his vehicle.
"He told the officer that he thought he was being followed and that's why he was driving erratically through the neighborhood," said Chief Wieners.
Police say Acosta told the officer he was military police. They later discovered he'd been employed by Blue Moon Investigations. The company's president described Acosta as a problem employee and told us he'd been fired just days before his arrest.
"He was not working any post at that time and when the police called me they said, 'Was he working a post?' And I said, 'No. There was no reason he should be in any kind of uniform,'" Bobbi Bacha with Blue Moon Investigations told us over the phone.
Neighbor Vickie Doucet says she never saw Acosta in a security guard's uniform but did see him in a Blue Moon vehicle.
"That's unbelievable. Who has the nerve to do that?" Doucett said.
Police say the pistol Acosta was carrying was loaded. He is also facing a charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon.
If you're being pulled over by someone you think might be impersonating a police officer, call police and ask the dispatcher if they have a unit in your area then drive to the nearest police station.
"Whoever that caller is they should know that on the other end that those dispatchers are advising police units in the area of what the situation is," Chief Wieners said.
Friendswood police say they will be contacting the FBI because Acosta identified himself as military police. Federal investigators will conduct a follow up investigation into where Acosta got the items in his possession and where else he may have conducted himself as a peace officer.
