Non-officer flashes blues, tries traffic stop

A man who said he was upset about speeding drivers conducted his own traffic stop Saturday, complete with a vehicle equipped with blue lights, Shelbyville police said.

But the "officer" was detained by another driver, who notified real law enforcement officers.

Michael Angelo DeSantis II, 26, who gave officers a Lebanon address, allegedly had two blue lights in his vehicle when arrested.

"He said he had blue strobe lights on the dash of his vehicle and did activate them," Officer Gregg Loyd said. "He advised he was trying to slow speeding drivers on Center Street."

The other driver told police an unmarked vehicle pulled behind him on Center Street and activated blue strobe lights, at which time he pulled over assuming the vehicle was an unmarked police cruiser.

DeSantis didn't exit his car, eventually drove away and was followed by the other driver, who notified authorities and stopped him at the Depot Street-Coney Island Road intersection.

Two passengers in the DeSantis vehicle told police they were unaware he was going to stop the car.

The lights were attached to a piece of wood and connected to a multi-button control box, Loyd said.

DeSantis was charged with criminal impersonation of a police officer and released on $1,500 bond.