Blues Traveler, The POLICE, & the SECRET Batmobile BUST!

If you listened to much radio in the mid-1990s, you probably know John Popper, the unmistakable frontman and harmonica genius of Blues Traveler. By the mid-2000s, Popper’s band was already legendary, having dominated the airwaves and earned a Grammy. But in March 2007, Popper’s name hit the headlines for something wildly unexpected—and the story was stranger than fiction.

On March 6, 2007, John Popper and his friend Brian Gourgeois were driving home to Washington State from Austin, Texas, where Popper had been recording. Near the remote town of Ritzville, Washington, police clocked their black Mercedes SUV going a staggering 111 miles per hour on I-90. The car was pulled over, with Gourgeois behind the wheel and Popper in the passenger seat.

What began as a simple speeding stop escalated quickly when state troopers caught the smell of marijuana as they approached the vehicle. That gave officers probable cause to search the SUV, and what they found left everyone stunned.

Popper’s Mercedes wasn’t just any car—it was a rolling fortress. The vehicle was outfitted with sirens, flashing emergency lights, a public address system, and masterfully hidden compartments. As police searched the car, they began to uncover a serious arsenal: nine handguns, four rifles (including a .50 caliber), a taser, brass knuckles, a switchblade, and military-grade night vision goggles. All of this was tucked away in secret compartments inside the car. It was clear—this was more than just a casual gun owner’s haul.

Facing the police, Popper calmly explained that he was an avid gun collector, using road trips to visit shooting ranges. He claimed the emergency equipment in the SUV was for preparedness; if there were ever a natural disaster or civil unrest, he joked, he didn’t want to be “left behind.” He confessed he’d basically tried to turn his car into his own version of the Batmobile. His manager later confirmed Popper’s love of shooting as a hobby.

But while the weapons collection was jaw-dropping, police ultimately determined that all the guns and gear—except for the switchblade and brass knuckles—had been legally obtained and transported. Popper had the proper permits and the arsenal was securely locked away. The incident didn’t result in significant criminal charges; Popper and Gourgeois spent only a few hours in jail before being released the same night. The only charges Popper faced were for minor marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia, which were eventually dropped after he agreed to undergo counseling.

Popper faced some financial consequences, including a hefty $16,000 tab to reclaim his vehicle from impound. But otherwise, the rock star escaped significant punishment.

The incident instantly became an infamous part of Popper’s legend—a surreal collision of celebrity, eccentricity, and law enforcement. What began as a high-speed joyride ended with police uncovering a “survivalist Batmobile” and a secret life of preparedness beneath the harmonica hero’s rock star veneer. As Popper himself joked later, the biggest mistake he made was just going way too fast.

This bizarre arrest remains a testament to the fact that, sometimes, truth really is stranger than fiction.