Deputies arrest man for impersonating policeman

St. Tammany Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Mandeville man Tuesday evening on a charge of impersonating a police officer.

Deputies got a call of a suspicious vehicle on Interstate 12 Tuesday night, and spotted a black SUV going west on I-12 near the Lacombe exit with emergency lights flashing and the siren had been turned on.

Deputies stopped the vehicle, driven by Robert A. Austin, 43, 104 Beau Soliel Place, Mandeville, at the intersection of Louisiana Highway 434 and U.S. Highway 190.

Austin allegedly told deputies that he was an off-duty New Orleans policeman. Deputies did some checking and found out Austin’s claims were false. The deputies then searched the car and found a collection of police-related items, which included handcuffs, various police badges and a handgun.

Austin told police that he used the items only to avoid traffic tickets. Sheriff’s Office spokesman, Capt. George Bonnett, said Austin did not tell deputies why he was traveling down I-12 with his lights and siren on.

Austin was booked into the St. Tammany Jail, Tuesday night and was released Wednesday on a $5,000 bond.

The Sheriff’s Office wants to hear from people who may have encountered Austin when he was posing as a police officer. If so, they are asked to call Detective Ray Smith at 726-7829.