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Drunk, armed 'officer' sent on express lane to jail By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune A former Del Norte County District Attorney investigator claimed Ashland police exaggerated the seriousness of his actions last spring, when he got drunk and visited a local grocery store with a loaded handgun and a badge. Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Pat Crain disagreed. "Some drunk guy carrying around a bunch of loaded guns is a scary thing," Crain told Robert James Wikander, 55, in court on Tuesday. "I imagine you created quite a ruckus." Ashland police arrested Wikander on May 6 following a complaint from employees of the Alberston's on Ashland Street. Wikander allegedly claimed to be a Del Norte County sheriff's deputy. Wikander was charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants, criminal impersonation of a peace officer, possession of false law enforcement identification and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to a total of 30 days in jail, two years' supervised probation and more than $1,000 in fines. Wikander was ordered to forfeit his weapons and expired district attorney's badges and identification. He cannot own firearms until the sentence ends. Police said Wikander had a blood-alcohol level of .34 percent shortly after the incident. The legal limit in Oregon is .08. The case was set for trial Tuesday. Instead, Wikander pleaded guilty to intoxicated driving and weapons violations and entered a no-contest plea to possession of false law enforcement identification. In exchange, the Jackson County District Attorney's office dropped the felony charge of impersonating a peace officer. Deputy District Attorney Matt Chancellor said Wikander created a commotion inside Albertson's when he argued with strangers and grabbed a customer's shopping cart. He knocked over two displays on his way out. Employees told police they saw a California district attorney's badge and gun - later identified as a loaded .40-caliber Glock - under Wikander's jacket. Ashland police arrived in time to stop Wikander from driving out of the parking lot. "He responded, 'I'm a police officer,' and started to reach for his gun," Chancellor said. Police said Wikander flashed his badge from Del Norte County and an expired card that once allowed him to inspect jails in California. In addition to the badge and handgun, officers discovered a loaded AR-15 rifle, the civilian version of the U.S. military's standard infantry weapon the M-16, in Wikander's vehicle and more than 100 rounds. "I made a mistake and I'm not proud of it," Wikander said, adding that the incident forced him to seek treatment for alcohol abuse. Wikander told Crain he didn't agree with Chancellor's version of the events but wanted to avoid a felony conviction. Although Wikander asked Crain to give his guns to the Crescent City Police Department, Crain handed them over to Ashland police. In 1994, Wikander completed a diversion program after being charged with intoxicated driving in Douglas County. In 1997, Chancellor said Wikander took a "medical retirement" from Del Norte County because of alcohol-related problems. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.