Georgia Men Pretend to Be Police Officers, Hold Driver at Gunpoint Until a Real Cop Pulls Up
Late afternoon traffic outside a preschool in Stone Mountain, Georgia usually means parents rushing pickups and commuters threading narrow roads. On December 11, that everyday tension turned dangerous, fast.
Gwinnett County police say a minor fender bender spiraled into a felony case when two men pretending to be police officers blocked in another driver and held him at gunpoint.
The incident unfolded around 4 p.m. on North Deshong Road, directly in front of a preschool.
Georgia investigators reported that the trouble began earlier in DeKalb County after a near collision
The victim told police the men followed him across county lines.
When traffic slowed near the preschool, the men allegedly pulled in close, boxed his car in, and cut off any exit.
That move alone crossed a bright line
Blocking a vehicle is a power police are trained for, not a tactic for settling a small car accident.
Police identified the suspects as 22-year-old Ryan Mays and 35-year-old David Robinson. Both worked as security guards.
According to the report, they wore tactical vests and carried guns. The victim said they pointed their weapons at him and demanded his insurance information. In other words, they ran a traffic stop without the badge, the authority, or the training.
A real police officer arrived before anyone was hurt
Body camera video showed the officer confronting the men and explaining they had no legal right to detain or block another driver.
According to WSB-TV, police noted that while the men denied claiming to be officers, their clothing and gear made them easy to mistake for law enforcement.
Corporal Ryan Winderweedle explained that impersonating police puts everyone at risk
Drivers may comply out of fear. Bystanders may misread the situation. And real officers responding later walk into chaos with guns already drawn.
Mays and Robinson were arrested and charged with multiple felonies. As of this week, both remained in jail without bond while awaiting court. Police said the owner of the security company that employed them had not commented.
