Authorities arrested a 34-year-old Donna man last week for allegedly using emergency police lights to advance through traffic in a construction zone on Interstate 2 last year.
A Hidalgo County Precinct 1 constable arrested Jaime Zavala Velasquez on Thursday and charged him with impersonating a police officer.
The incident occurred Oct. 31, 2021, and the constable arrested Velasquez on a warrant the officer obtained March 29.
The affidavit for his arrest doesn’t address the gap between the allegation and Velasquez’s arrest.
According to that document, a constable saw Velasquez driving east on Interstate 2 in a reckless manner while using emergency police lights to get through traffic in a construction zone.
The constable noticed Velasquez when the man pulled up behind him with flashing red and blue police lights signaling the constable to move and get out of the way, according to the affidavit.
However, because of heavy traffic, the constable was unable to switch lanes, but said that Velasquez then passed him on the outside of the slow lane instead.
“It was at this time that Constable Avila noticed that said vehicle was a black in color Chevrolet Tahoe with a white in color hood, and no police markings, decals, and/or exempt license plates,” the affidavit stated.
Authorities later identified Velasquez as the driver and he told them that he had recently purchased the vehicle, which was already equipped with red and blue flashing lights, according to the affidavit.
“Jaime also stated to the Donna Police Dept. he was unaware that said lights had been (activated),” the affidavit stated. “Constable Avila advised that at the time of the offense it was already dark and the driver should have seen the red and blue flashing lights on the front windshield reflection.”
He bailed out of the Hidalgo County Adult Detention Center on Friday on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond, jail records indicate.
