Man who pretended to be cop sentenced for 2016 assault

GARDNERVILLE — A man who authorities say claimed to be a police officer and pointed a gun during a road rage encounter near Lake Tahoe has been sentenced to up to four years in prison.

The Gardnerville Record-Courier reports 33-year-old Jared Kaiser was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty in April to assault with a deadly weapon.

Authorities say Kaiser was drunk and crashed into a car in 2016. He then pointed a gun and later told investigators that he was a former police officer.

Prosecutors say Kaiser has a documented history of claiming to be emergency personnel.

Defense attorney Derrick Lopez argued for probation, saying Kaiser’s “flaw of being dishonest” wouldn’t be improved in prison.

Kaiser apologized in court, saying he was “fueled by intoxication” and lied because of his ego.