HOUSTON — A man has been accused of impersonating a police officer and trying to take a man into custody.
Police said Austin Thompson Hughes, who is charged with impersonating a public servant, was seen walking a handcuffed man on a highway toward police. He told police he was an Uber driver and was taking two women to their destination when he saw the victim driving erratically. Hughes reportedly told the woman he was a former police officer and “had to take action.”
The handcuffed man told police he, Hughes and two women were drinking at a flea market on Airline Drive, and Hughes invited them to his house for more drinks. Hughes offered to drive the man’s truck, police said, and the man agreed because he had been drinking and couldn’t drive. During the drive, the man told Hughes he felt uncomfortable and asked him to take him home instead.
According to court documents, Hughes and the man began arguing before Hughes pulled over, forced him out and handcuffed him. The man said Hughes hit him several times in the leg when he refused to turn around. He also told the man he was a former police officer, court documents stated.
Hughes allegedly told police he was a former Detroit police officer, but the Detroit Police Department disputed that claim. According to a background search, Houston Police determined Hughes had been a police officer with Auburn Hills Police Department for 7 years.
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