'Diane Allen's name is copyrighted': Bizarre claim made by Chase Allan's sister over 'sovereign citizen'
FARMINGTON, UTAH: The sister of Chase Allan, who was fatally shot 12 times by Farmington Police Department cops during a traffic stop on Wednesday, March 1, slammed the usage of the term "sovereign citizen" to describe their mother, Diane Allan, whose name she said is "copyrighted." Courtney Vandegrift insisted the correct term was "American State National."
The Farmington Police Department launched an investigation into Chase's death and placed the five police officers involved on administrative leave. An official statement released by the department mentioned that Allan had a gun with him. “An empty holster can be seen on Mr Allan's right hip and a handgun can be seen lying on the driver-side floorboard of the vehicle,” Police Chief H Eric Johnsen said in a statement. Chase was reportedly pulled over by cops due to an illegitimate license plate, but when officers approached him, he seemingly rolled down the window a few inches and “refused to provide identification or cooperate with the officer in any way," per the statement.
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Sovereign citizen
According to federal court records obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune, Chase's mother Diane sued the Farmington Police Department in September 2022, reportedly rejecting their authority as a sovereign citizen after she was given a traffic violation. Chase was involved in the aftermath of her case, showing up "voluntarily" during a hearing and "resisting" officers in court.
Sovereign citizens “believe they are not under the jurisdiction of the federal government and consider themselves exempt from US law," per the Southern Poverty Law Center. The statement added, "They use a variety of conspiracy theories and falsehoods to justify their beliefs and their activities, some of which are illegal and violent.” According to the SPLC, the movement’s roots are “racist and antisemitic.”
'American State National'
Chase's sister Vandegrift objected to the term sovereign citizen being used to describe their mother Diane, insisting that the correct term is "American State National." She further claimed that Diane's name is copyrighted. “The term Sovereign Citizen has been used by certain entities to weaponize government and law enforcement against the people,” Vandegrift said in a statement to Heavy. “This results in acts of domestic terrorism being perpetrated against innocent and upstanding members of the community, especially those who support and believe in religious rights and people’s liberties.”
The term American State National is "used by sovereign citizens and some QAnon adherents to refer to themselves, reflecting their belief that they are not citizens of what they perceive is an illegitimate, tyrannical federal government," per the Anti-Defamation League. It added, "The term has been popularized in recent years by sovereign citizen gurus Bobby Lawrence and David Straight, who teach sovereignty with a QAnon bent.”
'A gracious, loving soul'
In an emotional tribute on Thursday, March 2, Chase's family described him as “a gracious, loving soul who was known by everyone in his community to be caring, thoughtful, and kind and would do anything for someone in need.” The 25-year-old lived in Farmington with his parents and “attended school in Davis County at Eagle Bay Elementary, Farmington Junior High, and Davis High School. Although he had a shy and quiet demeanor, he was able to make quick friends who cared about Chase deeply and will remember him fondly.”
“Chase was a son, brother, grandson, nephew, peer, teammate, student, and neighbor amongst many other important roles he played within our community," his family said, adding that he “was always selflessly helping and protecting others in need. He has been studying law the last few years and was a patriot doing what he could to defend the people’s freedom and liberty in his community.”