The "sovereign citizen movement" movement still exists, as evidenced by Steve Baker's alleged offer to a Phoenix police officer last night -- if the cop just let him go, Baker said he wouldn't have to place a lien against the officer's own home.
That didn't go over in Baker's favor, and according to court documents obtained by New Times, the bags of marijuana in his car didn't help his cause.
Baker was pulled over last night after running a red light at 48th Street and Washington Street, and informed the police officer that he was a "sovereign national" who didn't need to give his driver's license to a police officer.
He also informed the officer that he didn't need insurance for his vehicle because he's not a "driver," and he wasn't operating a "vehicle," the documents say.
Despite what Baker may have read on the Internet or elsewhere, that's not quite how things work.
After the officer ran the name and date of birth that were printed on the "sovereign national travel document card," police discovered Baker had a suspended driver's license, which would've been the appropriate document to carry while operating the car.
The officer informed Baker he would need to step out of the car because he was under arrest for driving on a suspended license, Baker latched onto the steering wheel and said, "No, he doesn't have to," the documents state.
Baker, apparently referring to himself in the third-person voice at this point, was eventually removed from the vehicle by a pair of police officers.
A passenger in the vehicle was also asked to get out of the car for what police describe as an "overwhelming strong marijuana smell," although that passenger was eventually released from police custody.
According to the documents, the source of the marijuana smell was a brown paper bag containing 10 plastic bags and one prescription bottle full of weed.
Baker admitted ownership of the marijuana, the documents say, but during the booking process, Baker allegedly offered the cop the opportunity to let him go, and thus avoid getting a lien placed on his home.
Sure enough, police say paperwork found in Baker's vehicle described putting a lien on someone's house for "violation of civil rights."
Baker was booked on several marijuana charges -- including possession of marijuana for sale -- as well as resisting arrest and bribery of a public servant.
