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A broken-down pickup truck on a Henry County roadway turned into a bizarre confrontation after the driver insisted he wasn't driving at all—he was simply "traveling."
The encounter, featured during On Patrol: Live, began when Deputy Mayhew stopped to check on a disabled truck blocking part of the roadway. The driver claimed the vehicle had broken down at a traffic light and rolled backward to its final resting place.
But what started as a routine roadside assist quickly veered into familiar "sovereign citizen" territory.
When asked for his driver's license, the man repeatedly told the deputy he didn't need one because he was "traveling," not driving.
Deputy Mayhew calmly explained that operating a motor vehicle on Virginia highways requires a valid driver's license and that driving is a privilege under Virginia law.
The driver refused to provide identification and instead continued arguing about his constitutional "right to travel." As the conversation continued, the deputy also questioned whether the man had been drinking after noticing behavior that raised concerns about possible impairment.
The situation escalated when the deputy attempted to identify the man and conduct a safety pat-down. Instead of following instructions, the driver repeatedly reached into his pockets despite multiple commands to stop.
"I was just showing you what was in my pocket," the man insisted after pulling out a wad of cash.
Concerned the man could be reaching for a weapon, Deputy Mayhew took him to the ground and held him there while waiting for backup deputies to arrive.
Even while pinned on the ground, the man continued challenging the deputy's authority, questioning why he was being detained and mocking law enforcement, claiming the deputy's badge was simply "a costume."
Deputies repeatedly ordered him to roll onto his stomach and place his hands behind his back. After backup arrived, officers were finally able to gain control of the situation and handcuff him.
Throughout the encounter, the driver maintained that he was merely a "traveler" exercising his rights—a claim often associated with the sovereign citizen movement. Courts across the country have consistently rejected the argument that motorists are exempt from driver's license, registration, or traffic laws simply because they claim to be "traveling."
What began as a disabled vehicle blocking traffic ultimately became a prolonged roadside standoff—proof that arguing legal theories on the shoulder of the road rarely ends with someone simply driving away.
Source ref: 294815822133_1560651712743838