Man impersonating cop accosts woman
A man posing as a police officer attacked a woman Sunday in Alpine County.
The woman was driving west on Highway 88 near Woodfords about 9pm Oct. 8 when she noticed a truck following her. The single red light made her believe it was a law enforcement vehicle pulling her over.
The man was wearing dark clothing and a badge. He asked for her ID and then told her to get out of her vehicle.
According to Alpine County sheriff’s deputies, the suspect then threw the woman to the ground. She was able to fight back and escape to her vehicle.
The white male is described as 40 to 50 years old, 6-feet-2, 225 pounds, dark hair, and bushy mustache. It’s possible he sustained injuries in the fight.
He was driving a newer full size white diesel pickup, with possible custom rims.
Anyone with information should call Alpine County Sheriff’s Office at (530) 694.2231.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
This is really horrific for our community. We need to find this disgusting man and keep him off our roads!!
If you are being pulled over, not sure it is a real cop, call 911 and check! You have the right to continue driving until you have reached a well lighted, populated area and receive positive verification that it is a cop.
Cops need to be trained about this! Twice I have refused to pull over in dark areas with no cell reception until I was in a well lit area….
and met with an extremely angry police officer. Got hollered at, at length, by one of them. Yes I complained to superiors.
don’t all but undercover police cars have light bars, not just a single red spot light?
It would be a tough call driving the 6-12 miles till you found a lit place on Hwy 88 with a real cop trying to pull you over? not to mention your cell phone isn’t likely to be very useful?
some situations are just sticky, but I would think one would need to try and be suspicious about someone trying to pull you over with just a small red light? I would say though from the details, this guy picked on the wrong gal! Scary event for sure.
Not sure if times have changed but ten years ago my boss was coming up from Reno. A NHP tried to pull him over on hwy 50 between HWY 28 and Glenbrook. The guardrails leave no room to pull over. He slowed and turned on his emergency flashers until he came upon a turn out. The officer cited him for evading and interfering with a police officer.
Good advice and response, GetHim and Orale. I would add the following:
1. If you have cell reception, call a trusted person as soon as you get pulled over, provide your location and situation and then leave them on the line to overhear what is happening.
2. Lock your door and only roll your window down as far as necessary.
3. Demand to see officer’s identification (not just their badge), especially if they are asking you to get out of your car.
4. If you run into problems with the responding officer demand to speak to their watch commander right now!
5. Bottom line: Trust your gut!
I would love to hear some responses from law enforcement on this issue (or perhaps a follow-up article from the law enforcement perspective, Kae?).
Probably few on here, and even fewer current law enforcement folks, remember Caryl Chessman, the “Red Light Rapist,” who was convicted of raping 17 victims using precisely the tactics this guy used. He spent 12 years on death row, writing books and gaining a lot of sympathy before California finally executed him in 1960 – thankfully.
To this day, California law only requires an emergency vehicle to show a single red light – all others are optional – and most unmarked police cars as well as some “undercover” units have only that single red. And, while they only occasionally work traffic violations, they make lots of stops on “suspects.”
As far as I know, there is nothing specifically saying that drivers can continue to a safer location; many Departments will tell the public that their policy permits that, but one of the many results of reduced budgets and staffing is reduced informational contacts with the public. I think that Kae would perform a real service by getting the views of local law enforcement, and citizens who’ve run afoul of some officer, while trying to protect themselves (like the folks writing above), should follow up by contacting a supervisor and finding out exactly what they’re expected to do.
Caryl Chessman is gone, but his methods are still commonly used by folks you don’t want to meet on a dark road.
I asked a police officer about this incident. He said that if I were ever unsure if the person attempting to pull me over was in fact law enforcement to turn on the hazard lights so the officer knows that that I recognize the attempt to pull me over. After that I should dial 911 to verify that this is a real officer or deputy or to relay to the officer that I am looking for a safe place to pull over. He said that even if you get that guy that wants to cite you for something the court will see that you attempted to verify or relay information to the patrol vehicle. Although none of this will help you on that part of 88 where very few have cell service. Perhaps he was counting that?
All local and nearby sheriff’s offices should be communicating together and with the public. What should we do, as citizens? I’ve heard various bits of advice from the public but don’t know what the official advice is. The sheriff’s office should be letting people know, with flyers and other methods. There’s even a nearby electronic billboard that’s used for weather and Amber alerts. That should be utilized too.
I heard today that it happened again near the Y in Tahoe. Citizens should be warned, all throughout CA and northern NV