Badge-Flasher Pretended To Be Cop, Got Arrested: Police

TINLEY PARK, IL — A Tinley Park man got into it with a guy who was walking a dog, police said, then pulled out a badge and pretended to be a cop.

The Tinley Park man, 32-year-old Eric Dughetti, denied that he pretended to be a cop, police said, but he still got arrested.

Dughetti was speeding in his Ford Mustang on Ozark Avenue when 37-year-old Thomas Wagner, who was walking a dog, shouted at him, police said.

“Thomas said the driver, Eric, stopped and got out of the vehicle and began yelling at him,” according to a police report.

“Thomas said Eric then grabbed his badge and shoved it in his face and told Thomas that he was a cop,” the report said. “Thomas asked Eric what department he worked for, but Eric didn’t answer and left the area.”

When questioned by the police about whether he had a badge, Dughetti reportedly produced a ”silver in color Repossession Recovery Agent badge, attached to a black circular holder. Eric said he normally has it hanging from the rearview mirror, but today it was in the center console.”

Dughetti said the badge was hanging from the mirror of his Mustang when Wagner confronted him, according to police, and that “he never said he was a cop.”

“Eric said that Thomas brought up the badge hanging on the mirror and that he never told Thomas that he was a police officer,” the report said.

“Eric said that Thomas pushed him a couple times in the shoulder, but in order to prevent getting into a physical fight with Thomas he drove away,” police said. “Eric said he had been drinking all day as well and was probably a little intoxicated at the time, which was another reason he decided against fighting Thomas.”

Dughetti was charged with impersonating a police officer. He posted $150 cash for his release.