Victims tell of Sevier County thefts by fake trooper
The man identified himself as an officer, flashed a badge and had a gun in a holster around his waist, Pavia said. At one point, the man put on a jacket bearing the Utah Highway Patrol's beehive logo.
The man made Pavia get out of his car while he allegedly searched it for drugs or weapons. When Pavia got back into his car, money from his center console was gone.
Prosecutors believe the man who searched Pavia's car that night was 48-year-old Christopher Mark Topham. The gun, badge and jacket Pavia saw that night might have been real since Topham did work for the UHP. The problem is that Topham retired in 2003 after 12 years of service.
Topham is charged in Sevier County's 6th District Court with seven counts of aggravated robbery, all first-degree felonies; three counts of impersonating an officer, all class B misdemeanors; and misdemeanor theft.
Monday was the first day of a preliminary/evidentiary hearing before Judge David Mower. Because most of the witnesses, including the victims, are from out of state, the court is attempting to combine hearings to help with travel arrangements. Topham, who is free on bail, was excused from Monday's hearing.
Daniel Ibanez and Avana Andrade, of Fort Collins, Colo., were traveling together on their way to a camping trip when they were awakened last June about 1 a.m. by a man wearing a dark ball cap with the words "State Trooper," a jacket and a holster with a gun. The man also flashed a badge, both said. The man said there had been some vandalism in the area and he needed to check them out, Ibanez said.
The man asked for both Andrade and Ibanez's IDs. Ibanez pulled out his money clip that also had his driver's license, he said. The alleged officer commented that he had never seen a money clip that small and asked if he could look at it, Ibanez said. He handed the trooper his money clip and Andrade's ID.
"He said, 'I'll be right back,' and took (the money clip) to run our IDs," Ibanez said. "It was just odd that a policeman would take my wallet."
The officer walked to his white car, which both Ibanez and Andrade assumed was an unmarked police vehicle. When the officer returned with their IDs, he also gave them his own wallet.
Recent comments
i will avoid utah entirely as ther are other routes to take to get...
frequent traveler | May 13, 2008 at 6:58 a.m.
True, he's innocent until proven guilty. So, IF he's guilty...
Bill | May 6, 2008 at 4:18 p.m.
A person is innocent until proven guilty, lets not rush to judgment...
Bert | May 6, 2008 at 2:58 p.m.
