A woman is in serious trouble in Utah after she tried to pass herself off to a law enforcement officer as her own daughter. She is now facing charges of giving false personal information, driving on a suspended license, driving without insurance, and possessing drugs and drug paraphernalia.

On August 31, 2019, a police officer noticed Heather Garcia was driving a car without a license plate, so he pulled her over. She then gave the officer her daughter's name and date of birth. A backup patrol car arrived with a K9 dog, which then alerted the officers that the vehicle needed to be searched. Officers found a broken pipe and baggies with a white powdery substance in them. A field test showed the white powdery substance was methamphetamine.

Meanwhile, a check on the name and date of birth the woman had provided proved to be her daughter's information. They also discovered that the real Heather Garcia had several outstanding warrants for her arrest. She was booked into a Davis County jail in Utah with no posted bond.

Providing False Information in Washington

In the state of Washington, providing false information to an officer is very serious, especially if one does so in an attempt to avoid an arrest. According to RCW 9A.76.175:

A person who knowingly makes a false or misleading material statement to a public servant is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. "Material statement" means a written or oral statement reasonably likely to be relied upon by a public servant in the discharge of his or her official powers or duties.

Providing false information is considered a gross demeanor and carries a $5,000 fine and up to one year in jail as a penalty.

If Garcia had been in Washington at the time of her traffic stop and subsequent arrest, she would be facing other charges as related to the methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia found in her car. Crimes involving methamphetamines or narcotics often result in a steeper penalty when two or more kilograms of the drug is involved.

Defense Attorney Steve Karimi

Providing false information to a law enforcement officer is a serious crime. If you've been charged, you need an attorney who will defend your rights and argue your case. Steve Karimi is a former prosecutor who understands how the “other side” of the criminal justice system works. Call the Law Offices of Steve Karimi today at 206-621-8777 or fill out a contact form to get a free consultation of your case.