A former West Virginia University police officer is facing misdemeanor charges after allegedly claiming to still be with the department before leaving the scene of an accident.
According to court records, on March 28, West Virginia State Trooper T.J. Roach was contacted by a gentleman stating earlier that day he was involved in an accident on Saint Clair’s Village Road, where another vehicle struck his.
The caller said the other driver identified himself as Dominic with the University Police Department but was not driving a police cruiser.
Dominic would later be identified as Dominic Ryan Lowman, 32, of Morgantown.
The caller said when he requested the other driver’s insurance and license information, he allegedly refused and instead made threats and produced a police badge.
Roach contacted the University Police Department to confirm the identity of any officers with the first name Dominic.
Lowman’s name was given as a possibility, but UPD informed Roach that Lowman had resigned on October 20, 2023, and was no longer with the department.
The criminal complaint states Lowman was positively identified by the other driver as the person who displayed a police badge and identified himself as a UPD officer before fleeing the scene.
Lowman was charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer, failure to give contact and insurance information, and leaving the scene of an accident.
He was released April 1 on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond.
If convicted of the misdemeanor offenses, the penalty could be up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in jail, or both for impersonating an officer and up to a $100 fine, up to 10 days in jail, or both for each of the other two charges.
TWEET @DominionPostWV
