News
Driver ineffectively cries 'Sovereign citizen'
TBO.com
Published: November 21, 2012
BROOKSVILLE - Here's a tried and failed excuse when pulled over by a police officer — claim immunity from state laws.Published: November 21, 2012
When Charles Patton was pulled over and asked to produce documentation for the red sedan he was driving Saturday along Cortez Boulevard near Publix — due to the vehicle having an improper license plate — the 57-year-old told the officer that Florida laws don't apply to him.
The reason, he said, is because he's a "sovereign citizen," according to a Brooksville Police report.
Instead, Patton produced a passport and a homemade identification card that had "Sovereign Nation" written on it.
Officers discovered that no documentation exists to show Patton ever had a driver's license. One record showed he had an expired 2001 decal from Texas, the report shows.
Patton is charged with not having a valid driver's license and operating an unregistered vehicle. He was taken to Hernando County Jail where his bond was set at $400.