HOT SPRINGS -- A habitual offender who pleaded guilty to impersonating a police officer last year was sentenced to six years in prison Tuesday in Garland County Circuit Court.
Dagan Vardaglen Turner, 44, of Hot Springs pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal impersonation and felony failure to appear and was sentenced to the maximum of six years in prison on each count, to run concurrently.
Turner is classified as a habitual offender, having been convicted in 1993 in Childress County, Texas, for theft of property more than $750; in 1999 in Summer County, Tenn., for aggravated burglary; and in 2002 in Garland County for simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, fleeing and possession of drug paraphernalia, for which he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
According to the affidavit, on Feb. 1, 2014, shortly after 6 a.m., a Hot Springs police officer saw two vehicles traveling west in the 200 block of East Grand Avenue and noted that the second vehicle was following too closely behind the first vehicle.
Then he noted the second vehicle had an alternating blue flashing light mounted on the inside of the windshield resembling a law enforcement vehicle, and it appeared that the driver was attempting to make a traffic stop on the first vehicle.
As the officer approached the second vehicle, the driver immediately turned off the blue light and made an abrupt turn at a high rate of speed in an attempt to evade the officer. The officer made a traffic stop on the vehicle in the 300 block of Runyon Street and identified the driver as Turner.
He noted in addition to the flashing light, there was an Arkansas law enforcement pocket manual in view on the dashboard. The officer asked Turner why he was trying to pull the other vehicle over, and Turner said he "accidentally" activated the blue light.
The officer noted that due to the way the light was installed, it was unlikely that Turner activated it accidentally.
The affidavit notes that Turner "is not and never has been a law enforcement officer."
Turner was taken into custody and later released on $2,500 bond. After he failed to appear at his court hearing, a warrant was issued, and Turner was arrested again Oct. 8. He had remained in custody since then.
Court costs were expunged for time served.
NW News on 02/23/2015