Man Fined $400 For Impersonating A Moron

from the no,-seriously dept

Wed, Jul 14th 2010 4:45am — Mike Masnick

Okay, here's a quick one that I'm posting because it's amusing. Apparently a guy in Canada has been fined $400 for telling the cops his name was Andrew Moron after he was caught drinking beer at a beach. What's illegal about that? Well there's a ban on alcohol at the location and, the guy's name is actually Alan Henry, and so the police charged him with "impersonation to avoid arrest." So, basically, he was charged with impersonating a moron. Of course, one might argue that it's not impersonation if it's true...

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Filed Under: impersonation, moron

31 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jul 2010 @ 5:00am

the test
was he in a hurry?
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jul 2010 @ 5:06am

TAM had to bail him out I'm sure.
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paperbag (profile), 14 Jul 2010 @ 5:10am

Re: the test
Can a moron in a hurry tell the difference between Alan Henry and a Moron in a hurry?
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paperbag (profile), 14 Jul 2010 @ 5:12am

Re: the test
also, "was he in a hurry?" question runs the risk of creating a circular dependency. :P
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Shuryno, 14 Jul 2010 @ 5:39am

Of course, we all thought about Moron in a hurry! Maybe he's a techdirt reader?

Of course, you have to be a real Moron to think that an cop would be dumb enough to not notice the last name...
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jul 2010 @ 5:42am

Thankfully it's quite legal to impersonate some morons, right TAM? Not only quite legal, but obligatory I would say!
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Artful Dodger, 14 Jul 2010 @ 5:54am

EPIC
LMAO what a dumb cop, impersonating a moron? How did he become a cop? LMAO
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jul 2010 @ 6:09am

Re: Re: the test
was he in a hurry because he was a moron? or was he a moron because he was in a hurry? i think my brain just imploded!
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Dark Helmet (profile), 14 Jul 2010 @ 6:13am

Question:
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Dark Helmet (profile), 14 Jul 2010 @ 6:15am

Question:
"Apparently a guy in Canada has been fined $400 for telling the cops his name was Andrew Moron"

Did he actually say "Andrew", or did he use what the police thought was his first initial, the way you have it in the title: A Moron.

Because I'm thinking this might all be a misunderstanding. Perhaps the mounties asked him to toss his can of Labatt Blue in the trash, he couldn't quite hear them, and asked, "Eh, moron?"....
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Griff, 14 Jul 2010 @ 6:20am

Re:
-- Of course, you have to be a real Moron to think that an cop would be dumb enough to not notice the last name... --

Unless you assumed the cop was
a) a moron
b) in a hurry
c) both
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Richard (profile), 14 Jul 2010 @ 6:23am

Welsh
Or was he actually impersonating carrots...??
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BearGriz72 (profile), 14 Jul 2010 @ 6:29am

Re: Question:
Andrew Harold Moron - A Harry Moron ... ?
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bob, 14 Jul 2010 @ 6:29am

BS Charge
The charge is BS as he was arrested.
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jjmsan (profile), 14 Jul 2010 @ 6:47am

Re: Question:
Bravo!, but no encore please.
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Chris-Mouse (profile), 14 Jul 2010 @ 7:14am

"A. Moron" is someone's name
A quick search of the online phone book turns up an entry for 'A. Moron' living in a beach community about three hours drive away from where this incident occurred. Given some of the names I've seen over the years, I'd have to say that no matter how stupid a name may sound, there's a good chance that someone, somewhere has that name.
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Pickle Monger (profile), 14 Jul 2010 @ 7:33am

Re: Question:
Shame on you DH for faulty background. ;) It was in Ontario so it couldn't have been the Mounties that dealt with the Moron. It was OPP.
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Pickle Monger (profile), 14 Jul 2010 @ 7:34am

Yay!
Yay for Canada! We're on the news!
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Dark Helmet (profile), 14 Jul 2010 @ 8:04am

Re: Re: Question:
Don't be such a hoser....
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NAMELESS.ONE, 14 Jul 2010 @ 8:09am

A. Moron
LOL
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darryl, 14 Jul 2010 @ 9:13am

Well someone is A Moron !!
cops cant even tell the difference between a taser and a hand gun... or they just dont care..

He would not have been charged for being a moron, he would have IF anything been charged for providing a false identity.

Im quite sure if your name was "A. Moron" you would not be arrested for having that name..

Or may be the cop was not too bright Eh,,

and when the guy was pulled over he said

"sorry officer, im a moron..... for speeding....."

Police man,, "Derrrrrr ok, your name is A moron ?? "

Allen, NO, I said im A Moron "for" being pulled over...

So you ARE a moron,, ok,, can I see your license ? Mr Moron ?
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jul 2010 @ 9:44am

Impersonating to avoid arrest
Ok... I'm confused (maybe I'm a moron...) but how does saying your name is Andrew Moron avoid arrest? Do the police not arrest people named Moron? Or perhaps they're not allowed to arrest morons at all...
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NAMELESS.ONE, 14 Jul 2010 @ 10:32am

@22
no no anytime "moron" is used in a sentence the police MUST arrest or detain you.....
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NAMELESS.ONE, 14 Jul 2010 @ 10:33am

heres an idea
get phone book
open it to "m"
look up A. Moron
give him a call or her and ask there opinion on all this...
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jul 2010 @ 10:35am

cops says
WHats your name son

man says
sorry i am "a moron" i was going to fast..."

Cop says
out of the car your under arrest , as i know A. Moron, and your not him....that is impersonation you're coming with us to jail.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jul 2010 @ 10:48am

I'm betting that when the officer asked him his name again it went something like this:

Officer: "What's your name, son?"
Andrew: "Andy."
Officer: "Your whole name."
Andrew: "It's Andrew, moron".

Now does that make the cop the moron for taking it as an actual name?
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jul 2010 @ 11:06am

The Famous Moron in a Hurry
If he had been pulled over for speeding.
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Nastybutler77 (profile), 14 Jul 2010 @ 11:28am

I had a buddy of mine get arrested because when a cop asked him for his name he said, "I'm Rick James, bitch." True story. He was charged with providing false ID to law enforcement. He was of course quite intoxicated at the time, but he's the type of guy who might do that sober as well.
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Pickle Monger (profile), 14 Jul 2010 @ 2:06pm

Re: Re: Re: Question:
I can't help it. It's a matter of national pride! :-D LOL
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jul 2010 @ 8:36am

punctuation is your friend
When asked for his name he replied "Andrew, moron".
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LINDSAY Steel, 10 Feb 2011 @ 9:13am

Moron is a legit name!
FRENCH- ITALIAN-Moron is a legit name ....Just because names interwoven in our society for we have a lack of imagaination .. The Name Moron is a nickname type surname derived from the Old French word for " More" meaning " Dark Skinned" which in turn derives from the Phoenician.. " Mauharim" meaning " eastern" This name was applied to the Moors and people with dark complexions. Surnames evolved during the middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to futher identify themselves. Surnames derived from nicknames wer quite common; they reflected physical characteristics or other attributes of the first person. The Moors followed the decline of the Roman Empire, in the 5th century AD, The Visgoths came to control the peninsula. Part of the Visgothic legacy to Spanish Civilzation. Ever sang the song ' And they made you change your name?" You never knew who to turn too? Marlyn Monroe.. Whenyou got off the boat from Ellie Island you name was butchered ..so maybe you too are a Moron? Senfield had a skit on this remember the bubble boy? and Dr 's must have coined the name .. Moron to undermine this family heritage? for it is now assiocated with an imbecille ..opps can't spell sowwy.
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