Orem • A self-described activist accused of impersonating a police officer will face a jury trial Feb. 21 for allegedly detaining a Brigham Young University student he suspected of running a stop sign and being in the country illegally.
But City Prosecutor Robert Church said he will need five extra people — for a jury pool of 25 — to find an impartial panel of four to hear the case against Mark Vreeland.
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What’s next?
P Mark Vreeland’s trial is scheduled for Feb. 21 in Orem Justice Court. If convicted of impersonating a police officer, a class B misdemeanor, he could spend six months in jail and be fined $1,000.
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Orem Justice Court Judge Reed Parkin approved that request Wednesday.
Grant Nagamatsu, Vreeland’s court-appointed attorney, told Parkin he had discussed a plea deal, but none was reached and that his client was ready to go to trial on the class B misdemeanor.
After the hearing, Vreeland said Church was being tough on him because of the news coverage. He declined to discuss any possible plea deal until he met with his lawyer.
The Orem resident is accused of chasing down Alcides Souza, a BYU student from Brazil, after Souza allegedly ran a four-way stop sign near Vreeland’s home.
Wearing a hat with the letters "ICE" and "COP" on it, Vreeland allegedly claimed he was a police officer and grilled the student, here on a visa, about his immigration status.
Vreeland previously explained that "COP" meant "Citizen on Patrol." In an earlier interview, he also acknowledged telling Souza he was a cop, but only because he said Souza was refusing to get back in his car when Vreeland confronted him.
Twitter: @donaldwmeyers
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