Suspicious driver allegedly gave police his brother’s name in an attempt to avoid his due

A man claiming his brother’s identity and carrying an illegal handgun caught the attention of police while  driving without license plates at about 3:30 a.m. on Sun., Aug. 29.

Bradley Johnloyde Merten, 36, of Olympia, at first lied to Olympia police about his age, at first claiming that he was 34, then correcting himself to be 35, according to the police report. Merten also claimed that his name was “Clifford.”

Merten also denied that he had any proof of identification, nor documents on the vehicle that he was driving, which he said had been recently purchased from a towing yard.

Merten also provided multiple social security numbers to Olympia police, then said that he could not remember his number.

During the conversation with Merten, police noticed a handgun near the vehicle’s center console. Merten then concealed the Polymer80 behind a backpack in the passenger seat of the truck. The handgun did not have a serial number.  Polymer80 weapons are often sold in kit form, usually not registered and are often carried illegally as many do not have serial numbers or other ownership identification information. 

Running the “Merten” name through dispatch and computer records, mugshots revealed the driver to be Bradley Merten, not Clifford Merten, who is Bradley’s younger brother. Bradley had two warrants out of Lacey for driving while license suspended.

Merten was arrested and booked into Nisqually Jail on outstanding warrants, driving while license suspended, operating a vehicle without a valid title, making false statements to law enforcement and carrying a loaded pistol without a permit.