Man Looked Like A Cop To Elmhurst Officers: Police

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst police officers said they thought a man in a road rage incident appeared to be an officer himself.

He wasn't.

On the afternoon of Dec. 28, 37-year-old William Owens of Palatine and a 19-year-old man called police about the incident, police said. They were near Route 83 and North Avenue.

Through a public records request, Patch obtained the full police report.

The other man said Owens pointed a gun at him and told him he was an officer, asking for the man's license.

Driving a Kia Forte, Owens was wearing black tactical clothing and wore a patch that said "officer," police said.

When police spoke with Owens, he identified himself as a security officer. An officer said Owens had Narcan, which treats overdoses, in his center console. When the officer asked why, Owens said he is an officer on the west side of Chicago and that he had saved lives before, according to the report.

At first, Owens said he was coming from work, but later said he was headed to his job, police said.

Asked which medications he takes, Owens said, "I am not at liberty to tell you that," police said.

Owens also slurred his words and smelled of alcohol, police said. However, he refused to undergo any sobriety tests.

He got out his phone and said he would call his lawyer.

At the police station, Owens was taken to the hospital after he complained of stomach pain. Officers got a warrant for a blood and urine draw, but Owens refused to comply with the court order, police said.

So officers asked a nurse to preserve Owens' blood that she had already taken as part of his routine medical care, according to the report.

The other driver, the 19-year-old man, told police that Owens pointed a silver automatic handgun at him while on Route 83, police said. Owens asked him, "What are you doing? What are you doing?"

The 19-year-old said he was trying to get past Owens.

According to the report, Owens then told the other driver to pull over, prompting the teen to say, "Why? Are you a cop?"

Owens said he was, then he said he was a security officer and would like to see the teen's driver's license, police said.

Owens' property included a handgun, ammunition, four magazines, two Tasers, a bulletproof vest, handcuffs, a radio, a dash camera and a body camera, the report said.

On Jan. 12, police filed a "clear and present danger" notification, starting the process of revoking Owens' firearm owner's identification card, or FOID.

Owens was charged with unlawful use of a weapon, attempted impersonation of a police officer, carrying a concealed weapon while intoxicated, DUI, possession of marijuana by a driver and driving an uninsured car, police said.