‘I will shoot you.’ Driver poses as cop in Tennessee road rage confrontation, police say
A 34-year-old man is accused of initiating a traffic stop while pretending to be a police officer during a road rage incident in Tennessee over the weekend, according to police.
Clifford Polly blocked the roadway in Nashville with his 2016 Dodge Charger and pointed a gun at another driver, a prosecutor said in an affidavit for his arrest. He was arrested just before 7:30 p.m. on Sunday and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and impersonating a law enforcement officer, according to arrest logs and court records.
Polly’s car was outfitted with red and white “wig-wag” lights in the front and back, the affidavit states. “Wig-wag” lights alternately flash similar to a law enforcement vehicle.
Prosecutors said Polly was also wearing a uniform “consistent with police officers” — including a duty belt and patches that said “private duty law enforcement.” He reportedly told police he owns the car and works for a security company in Nashville.
In an interview with investigators, Polly allegedly said his car was blocked in and he couldn’t get away from the other vehicle.
But prosecutors said that wasn’t true.
“The defendant made a u-turn, initiated his vehicle lights and drew a Glock 19 semi-automatic pistol equipped with a light,” prosecutors said in the affidavit.
While he allegedly was pointing the gun at another driver and on the phone with dispatchers, Polly was heard saying “I don’t want to shoot you” and “get back in your vehicle,” according to prosecutors. A witness also said she heard him say “I will shoot you” through his car’s announcement equipment.
“The defendant had ample space to maneuver his vehicle out of the roadway,” prosecutors said. “However, the defendant escalated the situation by brandishing his weapon.”
Polly’s bond was set at $25,000, court records show. His next court appearance is July 16.
