Detectives from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station served a search and arrest warrant this morning in the 25900 block of Moreno Drive in Valencia. The warrant was issued after a deputy from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station reportedly saw a private citizen conducting an apparent traffic enforcement stop using his personal vehicle and flashing red and blue mounted lights.

The incident occurred on Saturday, June 5, 2010, at approximately 9:00 p.m. near Lyons Avenue and Avenida Dorena in Newhall. The Santa Clarita deputy was patrolling in the area when he saw a vehicle conduct a traffic stop using front mounted blue and red flashing emergency lights. 

The deputy contacted the motorist who claimed he was a member of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The motorist allegedly stopped the vehicle to warn the driver about cutting him off. The deputy documented the incident in a police report and further investigation led to the service of the search warrant and arrest today.

During the service of the search and arrest warrant, deputies recovered the suspect’s vehicle which had fixed red and blue emergency lights attached to the dashboard. They also recovered a police jacket, a replica badge, and other police related equipment.

The suspect, David Galvan, MW/23, of Valencia was booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station on felony charges of impersonating a peace officer and false imprisonment. He is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail pending future court proceedings.

Detectives believe there may be additional victims who were unlawfully stopped or detained by suspect Galvan. The vehicle that was used by suspect Galvan during this incident was a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu MAXX, dark gray in color, similar to the one pictured above.

Anyone who may have been unlawfully stopped by a man driving this type of vehicle with red and blue lighting in the front windshield is asked to contact Detective Lambrecht of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station at (661) 799-5810.

The investigation is ongoing and there is no further information available at this time. 

If You See Something, Say Something!  Anyone with information about this or another crime is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Santa Clarita Valley Station at (661) 255-1121

If you prefer to provide information ANONYMOUSLY, you can call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the web site http://lacrimestoppers.org.