A Kutztown man is facing a stack of charges following a recent traffic stop in Schuylkill County during which he couldn’t spell or remember his own fake names.
Court records show that on Aug. 27, police in Orwigsburg received a report from an off-duty officer regarding a vehicle with an obnoxious exhaust sound.
“You’ll definitely hear it when you see it,” the off-duty officer said.
In the area of Erb and N. Warren streets, police indeed heard what is described as a “loud, constant growl emanating from the vehicle” as it drove by. A traffic stop was initiated on the vehicle, a gold Saturn, in the area of Lee Court.
After stopping the driver got out of the vehicle and began walking toward a house in the area. Police reportedly told him to stop.
The driver was later identified as 46-year-old Christopher Michael Macrae but apparently it would take a bit of trying to reach that point, according to the police affidavit.
Police say they asked Macrae for his driver’s license, vehicle registration, and proof of insurance. Macrae reportedly said he didn’t have that on him and asked why he’d been stopped.
The issue with the exhaust was the reason given for the stop, police say.
Macrae responded that he was fixing the car and taking it for a test drive.
Police then asked Macrae to identify himself. He reportedly answered, “John Matlon”.
When asked for his date of birth, he is quoted as saying, “What is it? 9 … 20 … 72.” Police later learned that it is actually Nov. 20, 1978.
No record was found for a John Matlon born on Sept. 20, 1972.
Police say they returned to the vehicle after that unsuccessful search for Macrae’s fake identity. Macrae was inspecting under a rocker panel on the vehicle at the time.
He was asked to spell his last name.
The officer says he asked, “Hey, I just want to make sure I got it right here, so … M-A-T-L-O-N-E?”
Macrae responded, “O-N … What are you spelling? What is it?”
The officer replied, “M-A-T-L-O-N-E?”
Macrae said, “Yeah.”
Police say they then intentionally read back the incorrect date of birth to Macrae, Sept. 21, 1972. Macrae said, “72.”
Police then let on that they knew this was not Macrae’s correct birthday. The driver was then told that he was under official investigation at this point.
Macrae was then asked to write down his name and date of birth on a piece of paper. He did so but his writing was completely illegible, police say.
Police asked him to try again but print it. That, too, was illegible. This happened a third time and again, Macrae failed to write his name legibly.
The next name Macrae gave police was “Rordin” and said it was his middle name. Police asked him to write this name down on the paper and reportedly warned him that failing to provide his proper name and date of birth would result in his arrest.
Once again, the writing was unable to be read, police say, so they had his spell out his name … well, the name he was now using as his own. He spelled out, “J-O-H-N R-O-N-D M-A-T-E-N-N.”
As Macrae was spelling out R-O-N-D, he reportedly enunciated it as “Reidale,” police say. For his last name, he pronounced it as “Madeline.”
A search for that name also came up empty, police say.
Macrae, at this point, was now sitting on a curb at the site of the traffic stop. He was once again asked to spell his last name. Macrae reportedly said “Reidale” and spelled out “R-O-N-D” and he was taken into custody.
During a search of his person, police say they found a cigarette pack from one of his pants pockets. Inside that pack police say they found a small baggie that contained a substance that later tested positive for methamphetamine.
Macrae was then taken to the State Police-Schuylkill Haven barracks for further testing. At the police station, Macrae reportedly began rocking back and forth while hunched over. He was also in what police describe as an “unnatural and uncomfortable position” in that his “left arm was perpendicular across his lap holding on to his right elbow. His right arm was extended to his right ear with his right wrist bent 90 degrees toward the back of his head and next to his right ear.”
Police say Macrae also emitted a low, high-pitched whine, similar to that of a crying dog. He would also twitch for periods of 20-30 seconds.
Macrae was once again asked to identify himself and he reportedly responded with a high-pitched whine. Eventually, police were able to positively identify him.
During sobriety testing, Macrae continued with that whining sound and also mimicked a State Trooper’s finger movement during one of the exams.
Macrae then asked what was happening, though his voice was slurred. He said he wasn’t willing to comply with police and asked for an attorney.
Later that night, Macrae was taken to Schuylkill County Prison on a bench warrant. Corrections officers there reportedly warned him that if he had any drugs or weapons on him at that time that he’d be looking at a state prison sentence. Macrae reportedly said he had nothing on him but during a search, officers say they found two baggies of marijuana.
Related to this traffic stop, police have charged Macrae with DUI of a controlled substance (fourth offense), which is a felony, as well as possession of contraband, also a felony. He’s also looking at misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of a small amount of marijuana, unsworn falsification to authorities, and three counts of providing a law enforcement officer with false identification. Summary charges of driving with a BAC of .02 or higher with a suspended license, having an improper muffler, operating an uninspected vehicle, and not having evidence of an emissions inspection were also filed.
Macrae’s being held on $15,000 bail on these charges. A preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge AJ Serina is scheduled for Oct. 7.
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