ENFIELD — An Agawam, Massachusetts, man has been accused of reckless driving and impersonating a police officer, according to state police.
Antonio Stephens, 20, turned himself into police following an incident on Thursday, December 3, on I-91 in Enfield, when he allegedly installed red and blue lights in his car and was speeding.
According to police, Stephens was driving south in a silver Lexus traveling more than 100 miles per hour. He flashed his headlights and activated the blue and red LED lights to get a Connecticut State police detective in an unmarked cruiser to pull over from the left lane where he was traveling. When the Lexus passed the State Police detective, the detective realized it wasn’t a law enforcement car and radioed Troop H in Hartford for assistance.
The Lexus was still traveling in excess of 100 mph when it was eventually slowed by heavy traffic, allowing the detective to catch up to and pull alongside the Lexus, and identify himself as a Connecticut State Trooper.
Stephens identified himself as a Sheriff’s Officer in Massachusetts, but could not tell the detective what he was responding to and then he took off again.
Stephens was charged with impersonating a police officer and reckless driving, and was released on a $1,000 bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday, Dec. 17 in Enfield Superior Court.
Stephens is currently serving five years of probation after pleading guilty on Aug. 20 to one count of threat to commit a crime by disseminating obscene matter to a minor.
According to MassLive.com, Stephens was charged with sending obscene drawings to a 10-year-old Longmeadow girl a year ago.
Agawam Mayor Richard Cohen and his brother Alan Cohen, an Agawam High School guidance councilor, took in Stephens several years ago when he was a homeless student. The mayor and his brother serve as mentors to the 20-year-old, but never formally adopted him.
