Yankee GM Brian Cashman Mistaken For Car Thief: Update

DARIEN, CT — New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman had a run-in with the law in Darien after a case of mistaken identity.

Cashman's Jeep Wrangler was stolen, but later found abandoned in the Bronx, according to the New York Post. He picked up his car from a tow lot and was taking it to the Norwalk Police Department for processing, but the car was apparently still on a stolen car list.

He had stopped in Darien for gas when several officers responded to the pumps and began a felony vehicle stop with their weapons unholstered, police said in a press release.

Police had already been in the area investigating a report of someone in a Jeep-like vehicle that had a gun in a doctor's office. Office staff called police out of concern, but it was later determined that the patient had a valid pistol permit, police said.

Cashman told the Post that the officers were professional and just doing their job and that the situation resolved in 15 minutes.

"No force of any type was actually used by officers; Mr. Cashman noted the professionalism and obvious training of the involved officers who were able to successfully bring this incident to the proper conclusion," said Darien Police Captain Donald Anderson. "Mr. Cashman was then escorted with his vehicle to Norwalk PD."

Below is the full text of the release from Capt. Anderson:

At approximately 10:40 AM on Friday, August 9, 2019, the Darien Police Department was notified by a local medical group on Old King’s Highway North that a male patient, arriving and preparing for a scheduled routine physical, was observed in the office in possession of a handgun. Despite what has been reported by various news outlets thus far, the accurate information is that there was no “brandishing” of this handgun by the male patient.

The patient had already completed his physical and left the office when the initial report was made to the police. Officers were responding to the Medical Group in order to meet with the staff to ascertain exactly what had transpired with the patient.

Once it was confirmed that the patient had already left the office and had possibly been driving a white, Jeep like vehicle, officers began checking the surrounding area. Within minutes, a white Jeep was observed in the Shell gas station on Boston Post Road at Sedgewick Ave. The license plate of this vehicle was checked by officers and it was found to be listed as a stolen vehicle.

As the vehicle started to leave the pumps, it was stopped by Darien officers. Felony motor vehicle stop procedures were utilized where two Darien officers did un-holster and had their duty weapons in hand. The operator, quickly identified as Mr. Brian Cashman of Norwalk, CT, was fully cooperative with all commands and instructions given by the officers conducting the stop and the encounter was quickly, efficiently and properly deescalated. It was also quickly determined that Mr. Cashman was the true owner of the vehicle.

No force of any type was actually used by officers; Mr. Cashman noted the professionalism and obvious training of the involved officers who were able to successfully bring this incident to the proper conclusion. Mr. Cashman was then escorted with his vehicle to Norwalk PD.

Darien officers then responded to a residence in Norwalk and made contact with the male patient from the doctor’s office. It was confirmed that he does in fact possess a valid pistol carry permit and was unaware that he had caused any alarm in the office while there undergoing his physical examination.

These two intertwined incidents are clearly indicative of what police officers are often confronted with on a regular basis. These incidents were fortunately brought to a completely safe and successful conclusion by the proper application of professional police actions coupled with the full cooperation of the subjects involved.

Read the full Post report here.