I couldn't think of anyplace, anywhere on the web, where I could ask this question and realistically expect to find someone who knows the answer.

I live in Olympia, Washington. Yesterday I was on I-5 headed south when I heard a siren and saw red & blues coming up behind me. I pulled over for what I thought was a cop, and a current model S-class sedan flew past me at about 80. I think it had a Washington plate, but I wouldn't bet any money on that.

My first thought was that it was some state official. Then I wondered why they'd be in a $100,000 Mercedes, and not a Crown Vic, or a Tahoe...standard State Patrol vehicles here.

Has anybody seen such a vehicle being used in an official capacity? As a taxpayer, I'm more than just mildly curious, though part of me wonders if it wasn't just somebody with more money than brains, trying to get everybody to move out of their way.