Fake Cop Tries Pulling People Over In Hoboken, Gets Arrested: Police

HOBOKEN, NJ — A man was charged with DWI and impersonating a police officer after he tried to pull people over in Hoboken using a car with lights and a siren, police said.

Matthew Seriale, 43, of Hoboken was arrested on Oct. 26 around 11 p.m., police say.

Police say that Officers Anthony Olivera and Bianca Arroyo were on patrol when they observed a private vehicle with police lights and a siren trying to pull other vehicles over near the intersection of First and Court streets, which is several blocks from the train station.

Officers recognized the driver as Seriale "and observed him to have slurred and slow speech," police said.

Officer Joshua Campoverde tried to perform a field sobriety test, but Seriale refused, police said.

He was placed under arrest for impersonating a police officer, police said.

Police searched him and found an "unlabeled prescription bottle containing numerous pills and another pill bottle prescribed to someone else, as well as police lights, a megaphone with an audible siren, two police shields, and other law enforcement related paraphernalia," police said.

He was taken to Hoboken Police Headquarters, where he provided breath samples, police said.

He was given summonses for driving while intoxicated and reckless driving, police said. He was also charged with impersonating a police officer, intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance within 500 feet of a public building or park, possession with intent to distribute, and possession of prescription legend drugs.

He was taken to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.