Sammy Hagar Reacts to Bizarre Viral Hoax About His “Arrested Impersonator”
Photo by KRISTY FOX, licensed under CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Fake Story That Fooled the Internet
Sammy Hagar is laughing off a strange viral hoax that claimed a man was arrested for pretending to be him and trying to cash fake royalty checks. The fake report spread online over the past week, confusing some fans and even a few media outlets.
The post first appeared on the Mount Vernon II News & Rumors Facebook page and read:
“A local man was taken into custody yesterday after allegedly impersonating rock legend Sammy Hagar at several local businesses, including two banks and a vape shop.”
According to the post, Ronnie Putnam, 58, from Summersville, entered multiple establishments claiming to be “the real Red Rocker” and asked to open accounts under “Sammy Hagar Enterprises, LLC.” Witnesses said Putnam even sang a short a cappella version of “I Can’t Drive 55” to prove his identity.
The Absurd Details of the Hoax
The parody story continued with made-up witness quotes. One supposed teller said, “He said he was on tour but needed to cash a royalty check. He was wearing red sunglasses and smelled faintly of margarita mix, so I thought it was actually him.”
The post added that Putnam was arrested after showing a fake ID that read “Sammy Hagar, Rock God,” and allegedly shouted, “I CAN’T DRIVE TO JAIL!” as he was taken into custody.
However, the Facebook page’s bio clearly states, “While there are actual news stories posted, please remember there is also rumors & parody!” Despite that, a few small news outlets ran the story as if it were true until Mount Vernon police confirmed that no such arrest ever took place.
Sammy Hagar Responds with Humor
When Hagar found out about the fake report, he shared his reaction on X (formerly Twitter). The rocker said that “every person” he knows had sent him the viral post and admitted he found it more funny than offensive.
“Who knows with AI these days if this is real or not,” he wrote, “but anybody that would fall for this guy saying he’s the Red Rocker probably couldn’t name one of my songs.”
Fans joined in on the fun, posting laughing emojis and tagging the fake story with Hagar’s famous lyrics.
Who knows with AI these days if this is real or not, but every person I know has sent it to me, and anyone that would fall for this guy saying he’s the Red Rocker probably couldn’t name one of my songs. 😳 #HappyHalloween #Impersonator #Ouch pic.twitter.com/0lJY0DSi1B
— Sammy Hagar (@sammyhagar) October 23, 2025
The Red Rocker Keeps Rocking
While the internet was busy spreading rumors, Hagar has been focused on his music. Earlier this month, he released The Residency, a double-vinyl live album that captures performances from his The Best of All Worlds shows in Las Vegas — celebrating his time as Van Halen’s frontman and his decades-long solo career.
