By Maggie Prosser
Source The Dallas Morning News
Grand Prairie Officer Brandon Tsai died Monday night after he lost control of his patrol car chasing a vehicle with fake paper tags.
He collided with another patrol car, rolled his vehicle and then struck a light pole after a 5-to-6 mile chase.
Fake paper tags have long been a headache for Texas law enforcement who say the tags, which are made with false names, VIN numbers and addresses, can be difficult for police to trace. Law enforcement agencies in Nevada and New York have complained false Texas tags are being used on vehicles involved in crimes.
Here’s what you need to know
Displaying a fake paper tag is a misdemeanor.
The illegal sale of paper tags is a massive criminal enterprise in the state. KXAS-TV (NBC5) reported last year that car dealers were netting millions of dollars by illegally selling paper license plates.
Grand Prairie Police Chief Daniel Scensey said Tuesday the tag of the car Tsai chased — No. 0330S43 — was captured on more than 200 vehicles in Dallas-Fort Worth. But he said that number is conservative.
The crash remains under investigation. Police are asking the public’s help finding the driver of a silver Chevy Malibu who fled from Tsai. Scesney said that person could face charges of evading arrest.
“This is a systemic problem in the entire state of Texas,” Scensey said, his voice boiling with frustration. “We have fictitious tags all over the place, and quite frankly, it cost a cop his life.”
Scensey said the fake paper tags need to be addressed legislatively, adding that the “system is broken.”
“It’s too easy to display a fictitious tag, and it’s putting our officers in danger because too many crooks are using these tags to facilitate crime,” he said.
In January, Dallas police seized 42 fake paper tags and issued 49 citations in an operation with other law enforcement agencies.
Fake plates can mask vehicles used in crimes or cars that may not pass inspection, or dupe buyers expecting cars in better condition. The head of the state’s DMV resigned in February after problems and criticism with how many fraudulent tags were on Texas roads.
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