By Jim Emerson
SAN RAFAEL — Law enforcement personnel arrested a man driving a fake California Highway Patrol
vehicle and impersonating an officer. Matthew B. Connolly, 25, of Richmond, faces one charge for
impersonating a peace officer.
SRPD officers on routine patrol January 15 noticed what looked an older model CHP car which is no
longer used. The officers waved thinking it was a colleague.
“While waving, they noticed the driver was not wearing a uniform. He did not appear to be a
CHP officer,” San Rafael police said in a prepared statement. “The CHP decals on the doors
looked official, but the vehicle did not have proper license plates.”
Further investigation revealed the car was not registered to the CHP. “Officers made a traffic
stop, believing the person was impersonating an officer, driving a vehicle falsely marked as a
police car,” officials said.
Connolly reportedly admitted to placing the fake decals on the car. He also told the officers
that he thought the public would believe it was a real police car.
It turns out, the car was recently retrieved from an impound yard before it was mad to look like a
police car. San Rafael officers arrested Connolly, and the car was once again towed and
impounded. Connolly was booked at Marin County Jail.
Law enforcement agencies in Marin County are investigating to determine if Connolly or the
fake CHP car are involved in any other criminal activity. Anyone with information can call San
Rafael police at 415-485-3000.
