Police: Man caught with fake federal agent placard, weed in Jersey City

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An Elizabeth man was caught using a fake federal agent placard in his vehicle, refusing to pull over for authorities after driving through Manhattan to Jersey City via the Holland Tunnel, police said.

Seven Hobby. Photo courtesy of Port Authority police.
Seven Hobby. Photo courtesy of Port Authority police.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

Seven Hobby, 38, of Elizabeth, was charged with three counts of forgery, two counts of using false government documents, obstructing administrative law, resisting arrest, eluding an officer, possession of marijuana under 50 grams, according to Port Authority police spokesman Joe Pentangelo.

At about 5 p.m. yesterday, a Port Authority police officer assigned to the Holland Tunnel in Manhattan was informed by several passersby that a BMWx5 had brushed against and nearly struck a traffic agent who was directing traffic at Watts Street in Manhattan, officials said.

Port Authority police approached the suspect’s vehicle and requested he pull over onto Broome Street in Manhattan so they could interview him, however, he refused to pull over and began driving away into the north tube of the Holland Tunnel, authorities said.

He allegedly showed police a placard with the word “POLICE” written in black block lettering. The officer transmitted a description of the vehicle over the radio and Port Authority police on the Jersey City side of the tunnel waited on the suspect.

Officers then gave Hobby verbal instructions to put the vehicle in park and exit the car. He refused and went on to say “I am not stopping.” Police continued to request the driver’s cooperation and he refused to get out of his car, telling police that he would not roll down his window or exit his car, officials said.

Eventually police were able to open the driver’s side window and unlock the driver’s door to arrest Hobby, who refused to put his hands behind his back during the process, authorities said. Additional officers arrived on scene and with their assistance the suspect was handcuffed.

The driver was in possession of a New Jersey driver’s license under one name, a Virginia driver’s license and Social Security card under another name, police said.

The Virginia license, although under another name, had a photo of Hobby. The police placard that was observed initially was located on the front passenger seat, reading: “this vehicle is on official business/ICE/HIS Task Force/U.S. Dept of Homeland Security,” officials said.

An investigation determined the placard was not an official government placard and had been forged, the temporary registration on the rear of the vehicle was inspected and deemed to be forged and another forged temporary registration was found inside the car, authorities said.

Additionally, Hobby had an outstanding traffic warrant out of Elizabeth, as well as several driver’s license suspensions our of N.J., N.Y. and V.A. The vehicle was impounded and bail was set at $30,000, with no 10 percent, police said.

An odor of alleged burning marijuana was also emanating from the car’s center console, with officers observing several burnt marijuana cigarettes were in the ashtray, police said.


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3 COMMENTS

  1. I don’t mean to toot my own horns but I told you all that it was only a matter of time before this would happen! Seven was caught for a crime that every federal agent commits every day — running around on “official business” and having forms that shows they’re entitled to legal rights WE the PEOPLE are not! He has the placard and the shirt — what more do you need! So he likes to take a toke every now and again… say la vee!

  2. Hansberry and Watson have adamantly denied any wrongdoing. It is not yet known whether they will take the stand, but their lawyers have long argued that both men were good police officers who were trying to take down major drug organizations. Along the way, they met up with drug dealers who got caught doing bad things. And when they got caught, the dealers turned on the officers, lying to save themselves.

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