- Florida police say a man flashed red and blue lights in his Dodge Charger and ran a red light.
- The car in question has several after-market parts that make it appear similar to a law enforcement vehicle.
- The driver denied any wrongdoing but didn’t realize that a real officer evidently saw him activate the red and blue lights.
Plenty of people drive Dodge Chargers and some of them even drive retired police vehicles. That’s all perfectly above board. What normal citizens can’t do is outfit their cars with red and blue lights and then flash them to illegally run a red light. One driver in Florida is learning that lesson the hard way after allegedly doing exactly that in front of a police officer.
Hernando County Sheriff’s Detective William Harsanyi says he witnessed the infraction on October 15 around 8 a.m. The driver of a black Dodge Charger came up behind Harsanyi while the pair traveled on the same road in the same direction. Evidently, the Charger actually pulled up directly behind Harsanyi who was driving his assigned unmarked police cruiser.
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Here is what the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office says happened next: “As the vehicles approached the traffic light at Spring Hill Drive and Commercial Way, the traffic light turned red. Harsanyi stopped at the light, at which time the driver of the Charger activated the lights on the push bar (which were red and blue), changed lanes, and proceeded through the red traffic signal.”
Unsurprisingly, Harsanyi radioed dispatch to begin a traffic stop on the Charger. According to the report, the driver, Frank Michael DeJiulio, Jr., initially denied having red and blue lights. Of course, Harsanyi interjected to refute that. At that point, Dejiulio Jr. reportedly admitted his crime at that point. Now, rather than simply getting a ticket for running a red light, he is facing several charges including prohibited use of lights and false impersonation. His bond is set at $6,000 and police towed the Charger, which is owned by his girlfriend.
As for the bigger picture, authorities say there’s no evidence at this time that DeJiulio attempted to pose as a police officer in interactions with the public. That said, they’re keeping the door open for further investigation.
The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office is encouraging anyone who might have relevant information to step forward by calling 352-754-6830. While we may never know what DeJiulio was thinking, one thing’s for sure: playing cop to cut through traffic isn’t just a bad idea—it’s an expensive one.
