By Shavonne Potts

Salisbury Post

A Concord man will only have to pay court costs after receiving a prayer for judgment Tuesday on charges of impersonating a police officer.

Spencer Lewine Malone, 40, of 1101 Memory Lane, denied the charges following his September arrest but pleaded guilty to them in court Tuesday.

Police records showed Malone attended his son’s China Grove Middle School football game and became upset after he was asked to pay $4 to enter. Malone later told the Post he did not argue about the admission price.

A China Grove Police officer who was standing close by heard the conversation and noticed a pocketknife sticking out of Malone’s pocket.

The officer informed Malone that knives were not allowed on school property and asked him to take the knife to his car.

Police Chief Hodge Coffield told the Post that Malone refused and stated he was a law enforcement officer. Malone said he was a deputy with the Rowan Sheriff’s Office and that his identification was back at his car, according to reports.

When the officer accompanied Malone to his car, he still did not produce proper identification and was arrested.

Malone worked for the China Grove Police Department from November 2002 to May 2004.

Essentially, a prayer for judgment means the court has the right to “pass judgment” later. The defendant is charged for court costs and no decision is rendered. If another violation occurs, then that violation plus the previous one will appear on his record.

Malone was ordered to pay $110 in court costs. Court records show he had not paid those fines as of Thursday.

Contact Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253 or spotts@salisburypost.com.