What started as an ordinary drive along U.S. Highway 301 near Thonotosassa turned into a stunt straight out of a low-budget cop show, according to deputies.
A Thonotosassa man was arrested today after the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office says he flipped on red-and-blue emergency-style lights in his SUV and tried to pull over one of the agency's undercover vehicles on northbound U.S. 301. Deputies took the driver into custody without incident and later identified him as 46-year-old Nadi Jabari.
In a post via HCSO, deputies said the incident happened yesterday when a black Chevrolet Suburban used emergency-style lights to signal one of the sheriff's undercover vehicles to stop on U.S. 301 near Thonotosassa. Other units moved in, conducted a traffic stop on the Suburban and arrested Jabari on a charge of impersonating a law enforcement officer, according to the post.
🚨Man Arrested After Attempting to Conduct Fake Traffic Stop🚨 On June 24, 2026, #teamHCSO deputies arrested Nadi Jabari, 46, for attempting to conduct a traffic stop on one of our own undercover vehicles. Deputies observed a black Chevrolet Suburban activate red and blue pic.twitter.com/gKT7bBMAEk
— HCSO (@hcsosheriff) June 25, 2026
Deputies' account and legal consequences
According to deputies, the attempted stop took place on the northbound side of U.S. 301 in Thonotosassa, where the Suburban allegedly activated red-and-blue lights and tried to flag down the undercover unit.
Under Florida law, displaying red or blue emergency lights on a nongovernment vehicle is prohibited, per Florida Statutes section 316.2397. Falsely personating an officer is covered under Florida Statutes Chapter 843, which lays out criminal penalties for pretending to be law enforcement.
Not the first time
The sheriff's office has been sounding the alarm about unauthorized emergency lights and fake traffic stops in recent months. Earlier this year, deputies arrested another driver accused of using an unauthorized light bar to imitate a patrol vehicle, according to a January press release from HCSO. Those earlier cases led to renewed reminders that anyone unsure about a traffic stop should contact 911 to confirm an officer's identity.
How to stay safe
Safety recommendations from law enforcement and traffic safety resources suggest that if a vehicle signals you to pull over and something does not feel right, you should slow down, turn on your hazard lights, and continue to a well-lit public area while you call 911 to verify the stop. Staying in your vehicle with the doors locked until a clearly identified, uniformed officer arrives is a common recommendation for drivers who suspect impersonation, according to guidance cited by Legal Clarity.
Anyone with information about the reported fake stop is asked to contact the sheriff's office or call 911 in an emergency. We have reached out to HCSO for additional details and will update this story if more information becomes available.
