UPDATE:
The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office announced Thursday, June 14 that the second suspect referenced below was confirmed to be a law enforcement detective with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office who was operating a law enforcement vehicle at the time. The first incident has yet to be resolved.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office has reported that it is now investigating two recent incidents involving suspicious traffic stops on I-95 that did not appear to be conducted by actual law enforcement officers.
In the first incident, according to SJSO, a female nurse was traveling north from St. Johns County on her way to work when she noticed red and blue lights flashing behind her. When she pulled over, a white male in his 50s with “very short or shaved hair” approached her car and asked to see her driver’s license, claiming that she had been speeding and giving her an inaccurate ticket cost for her supposed violation.
The suspect, the woman said, did not appear to have a gun, but was wearing a tan uniform and claimed to be from St. Johns County. The name tag on the suspect’s uniform displayed the name “Moyer” or “Moer.”
SJSO — whose deputies do not wear tan uniforms — reported that there is no such person among its ranks.
After studying the woman’s driver’s license, the suspect handed it back to her and said she should “consider this a warning.” Feeling that the situation was not consistent with normal police protocol, the woman contacted SJSO. After a review, it was discovered that the traffic stop occurred in Duval County, a short distance from the county line.
In the second event, another female nurse was traveling south on her way home from work when she was pulled over by a suspect in a dark-colored, four-door Chevy sedan, which seemed to have red and blue lights mounted at the top of its windshield. The woman reported that the suspect pulled up beside her car before falling back and activating the lights.
The woman described the suspect as a short, thin black male wearing rimmed glasses, a blue striped polo shirt and a black hat. She further noted that he had a plastic tag around his neck that read “JSO Detective,” and that he identified himself as a Jacksonville Detective. He too said that he had stopped the woman for speeding and asked for her driver’s license. He did not show a badge or any identification and did not appear to be armed with a firearm. After returning the woman’s driver’s license, the suspect returned to his vehicle and exited onto C.R. 210.
SJSO has advised that law enforcement officers will possess an official badge and wallet credentials when performing their duties and will typically have them clearly displayed or readily available. Those who may be concerned about a potentially illegitimate traffic stop are encouraged to call their local law enforcement agency to confirm whether an actual unit is attempting to stop them. When being pulled over in a dark or isolated area, drivers may also turn on their hazard lights and drive to a well-lit, populated area.
The St. Johns County and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Offices are continuing an investigation into these two events. Those who may have information regarding the suspects mentioned or someone who may have talked about conducting traffic stops on citizens with unlawfully-installed police equipment are asked to call (904) 824-8304.
