Woman says she was jailed for 3 nights over mistaken identity after going to sheriff’s office to report hitting a deer
CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) — A Virginia woman is speaking out after she was jailed over what she said was a case of mistaken identity.
Danielle Brown went to the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office on March 9 to report hitting a deer.
Deputies placed her in handcuffs after running her Social Security number and date of birth.
Deputies said her name came back as an alias for Julia Bickford, who was wanted on an arrest warrant in Chesterfield County.
Despite pushback from Brown, she was taken to jail after authorities spoke to a magistrate.
After two nights, Brown was moved to another jail.
Once there, authorities were able to confirm Brown’s true identity based on her Real ID, Department of Motor Vehicles photos and other records.
She was immediately released from custody on the third day.
“Oh, it was horrible. It was jaw-dropping. Again, like, I was worried about my job. I was scared that I’d lose my job, mainly,” Brown said.
According to court records, Julia Bickford has used Danielle Brown as an alias in the past.
The Caroline County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an internal investigation.
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