New Jersey Man Accused of Fake Traffic Stop and Attempted Kidnapping on I-80, State Police Say
A New Jersey man has been arrested after investigators say he pretended to be a police officer during a late-night traffic stop on Interstate 80 and allegedly handcuffed a woman after following her from a bar earlier this month.
According to New Jersey State Police and court records, the incident happened around 2:45 a.m. on May 3 along the westbound side of Interstate 80 near Exit 28 in Roxbury Township. Authorities said the suspect was driving a Chrysler 200 equipped with red and blue emergency lights, making the stop appear like a legitimate police traffic stop.
Investigators said the woman had earlier spent time at Midland Brew House in Saddle Brook before leaving the parking lot with a friend. Surveillance footage reviewed by detectives reportedly showed the Chrysler entering the parking lot around 2:10 a.m. with its headlights turned off before positioning behind the woman’s vehicle. Court documents state that when the woman left the bar around 2:19 a.m., the Chrysler followed her onto the highway.
Police said the man pulled the woman over and conducted what appeared to be a traffic stop that lasted about 10 minutes. During the encounter, investigators allege the suspect requested the woman’s identification and other documents, took possession of her phone, and performed field sobriety tests even though he was not a real law enforcement officer. Authorities noted that the man wore a zip-up jacket without any official police markings or identification.
According to the affidavit filed in the case, the suspect later informed the woman that she was under arrest and walked her behind her vehicle. Investigators said the man then allegedly made a troubling statement, telling the woman there were “two ways” to handle the situation and suggesting they could “work something else out” instead of taking her in for processing.
The situation changed when the woman reportedly asked to see the man’s badge. Police said the suspect returned to his vehicle at that point, giving the woman enough time to remove one hand from the handcuffs, get back into her car, and drive away from the scene.
Authorities said the woman then stopped at a nearby convenience store where a clerk allowed her to use a phone to contact her husband. The incident was later reported to New Jersey State Police the following morning.
After reviewing surveillance footage from the bar and Interstate 80, investigators identified a suspect. State Police said the woman also identified the man through a photo lineup during the investigation.
On May 13, detectives arrested 36-year-old Julio Estrada-Mogollon at his home in Wayne. He has been charged with attempted kidnapping, theft, and impersonating a law enforcement officer.
During questioning, Estrada-Mogollon reportedly told investigators that the woman had sideswiped his vehicle and claimed he was only attempting to exchange insurance information. However, authorities continued their investigation and proceeded with criminal charges.
Court records state that the woman’s cellphone, valued at about $1,200, was recovered in Paterson one day after the incident.
Estrada-Mogollon is currently being held at the Morris County Jail. Court records did not list attorney information for him as of the latest update.
New Jersey State Police are now asking anyone who may have experienced a similar encounter or who may have information connected to the investigation to contact the Troop “B” Netcong Station Detective Bureau.
Sources:
New Jersey State Police
Morris County Court Records
Affidavit of Probable Cause Filed in New Jersey Court Proceedings
