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WASHINGTON, Washington County — A man who claimed he was a law enforcer when he performed a "felony stop" and pulled a gun on a couple in another vehicle has been charged with impersonating a police officer.
Kim Ray Terry, 51, was charged Thursday in 5th District Court with two counts of aggravated assault, a second-degree felony; impersonating a police officer, a class B misdemeanor; two counts of unlawful detention, a class B misdemeanor; and disorderly conduct, a class C misdemeanor.
On April 9, Washington police were called on a report to assist a probation officer who had a man in custody. When police arrived, Terry had another man in handcuffs, according to an arrest affidavit filed by the police officer.
Terry claimed the other man had cut him off and that his actions constituted assault. Terry told the officer, "I felony stopped him because I am a retired cop and know my (stuff)," the affidavit states.
The wife of the driver, however, told police that there was water on the road and the vehicle simply hydroplaned. When both vehicles reached the next stop light, Terry got out of his car, pointed a gun at the couple and demanded that the driver get out, according to the affidavit.
Terry said he worked for a private probation company, the report states.
"Kim was wearing a nylon duty belt typically worn by police officers that contained what appeared to be pepper spray, night stick, handcuff case and a gun holster with a Glock holstered in it. He was wearing tan BDU pants and police style boots and had a badge hanging from his neck on a chain that stated 'probation officer' on it," the officer's report says.
The officer told the couple that a private probation officer does not have the authority to make a felony stop.
"I apologized to (the couple) for what they had both experienced and explained to them that Kim Terry does not represent Washington City Police Department or any other law enforcement entity in Washington County," the officer wrote.
When the officer returned to his office to continue his investigation into Terry, he found that "Terry has no Utah certifications as a law enforcement officer and is already being investigated by (Adult Probation and Parole) for impersonation due to a previous incident," the affidavit states.
Terry "has never been certified in any state as a law enforcement officer" and although he retired from the Nevada Department of Corrections, he worked in the human resources department, according to the affidavit.
Terry does have licenses in Utah for being a private probation provider and an armed private security guard. He was also being investigated "for inappropriate relationships with his probation clients," the report states.
