Authorities are looking for someone who reportedly impersonated a police officer and pulled over a woman Thursday morning on Old Highway 99 south of Alger.

A man driving a sedan with red-and-blue lights on his dash and a spotlight mounted on the driver’s side of his car, pulled over a woman, yelled at her and said, “I bet you voted for Obama, didn’t you?” according to the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office.
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Has there been anything to corroborate this report?  I don’t want to second guess, but I’m remembering the national news report of the woman who claimed she was beaten up over displaying a McCain sign.

skagitonian - 09 November 2008 07:08 PM

Has there been anything to corroborate this report?  I don’t want to second guess, but I’m remembering the national news report of the woman who claimed she was beaten up over displaying a McCain sign.

Yes, I thought of the same thing when I read this story…

Funny thing happened today. I was driving through Clear Lake at about 12:45. A brown car with flashing blue and red lights mounted on the dash was coming towards me. It was really odd because his headlights weren’t alternating like normal cop cars do and it didn’t have any emergency lights in the back. Nobody was pulling over and it wasn’t going fast. Instead of taking the curve out of town it went straight at the school. How weird is that? I didn’t even think about getting a license until it was too late.

whwhwhat? - 19 November 2008 12:02 AM

Funny thing happened today. I was driving through Clear Lake at about 12:45. A brown car with flashing blue and red lights mounted on the dash was coming towards me. It was really odd because his headlights weren’t alternating like normal cop cars do and it didn’t have any emergency lights in the back. Nobody was pulling over and it wasn’t going fast. Instead of taking the curve out of town it went straight at the school. How weird is that? I didn’t even think about getting a license until it was too late.

Even if you didn’t get a license plate # you should probably report it.  Dontcha think?

I thought about that at the time. I was working when it happened and I didn’t have a cell phone. Do you think it’s too late?

whwhwhat? - 19 November 2008 11:08 AM

I thought about that at the time. I was working when it happened and I didn’t have a cell phone. Do you think it’s too late?

Definitely not.  I imagine they would still like to know that the guy is out there and still trying to pull people over.  The location where it happened would likely also be helpful.  Even though it’s possible one of the others who saw him when you did called too, I say you should still call.  The police would be grateful for any information, I imagine.

This story doesn’t pass the smell test....maybe somebody was late for work and needed a good excuse?

AND....I don’t care if it’s the President himself pulling me over...I wouldn’t have stopped in some desolate space, I would have gone until I could pull in front of somebody’s house and I damm sure wouldn’t get out of the car.

Another clue:  his pants and his shirts didn’t match!

You might have misunderstood. I was working at the time, wasn’t late going anywhere because I was already on the clock. I just don’t have time to stop and call. I thought the original story sounded a bit fishy until I saw that car pass me. I thought it might have been a volunteer firefighter but the lights were different. Just one of those things that made me go hmmm. Now I’m looking for the car. The only thing that was different than the paper in the story was the windows looked tinted on this car. I actually looked at the back window because it looked sorta like that undercover that has a Seahawks emblem on his back window.

Let’s all keep an eye out now for this guy.  I’m ofter all over the county during the day, and if I see him I will call him in.  It’s going to be up to us citizens to spot and report him probably, given the size and sometimes remoteness of our area.  Let all of your female friends and family know too, just in case.  Sure it might be a hoax, but is it worth blowing it off, if it’s not?

whwhwhat? - 19 November 2008 11:04 PM

You might have misunderstood. I was working at the time, wasn’t late going anywhere because I was already on the clock. I just don’t have time to stop and call. I thought the original story sounded a bit fishy until I saw that car pass me. I thought it might have been a volunteer firefighter but the lights were different. Just one of those things that made me go hmmm. Now I’m looking for the car. The only thing that was different than the paper in the story was the windows looked tinted on this car. I actually looked at the back window because it looked sorta like that undercover that has a Seahawks emblem on his back window.

I wasn’t meaning you were late...I mean the woman in this story.  The story still sounds fishy.

whwhwhat? - 19 November 2008 11:04 PM

You might have misunderstood. I was working at the time, wasn’t late going anywhere because I was already on the clock. I just don’t have time to stop and call. I thought the original story sounded a bit fishy until I saw that car pass me. I thought it might have been a volunteer firefighter but the lights were different. Just one of those things that made me go hmmm. Now I’m looking for the car. The only thing that was different than the paper in the story was the windows looked tinted on this car. I actually looked at the back window because it looked sorta like that undercover that has a Seahawks emblem on his back window.

The Impala with the Seahawks logo is no longer around here. The WSP has a dark blue impala with no logos yet, and the Sgt has a maroon impala with no logos. There is also a brown crown victoria and a red crown victoria. And just a FYI to all, there are no firefighters in this state operating with blue lights. Firefighters are only allowed green lights, with chief officers allowed red with sirens. If you see red or green lights, just move to the side of the road and allow them past. They will not “pull you over.”

So a good clue that is’s a real cop is if they are wailing on the siren it’s probably a real one. Most imposters are too scared to make noise with a siren. Real cops will make it very clear they are the police. When in doubt, CALL 911. They will know if a REAL cop is trying to stop you!

Yeah, I realized today it was I who misunderstood. Thanks for the update on the undercovers. BTW is the crew cab pickup undercover still around? That one is the real sneaky one.

whwhwhat? - 20 November 2008 11:43 PM

Yeah, I realized today it was I who misunderstood. Thanks for the update on the undercovers. BTW is the crew cab pickup undercover still around? That one is the real sneaky one.

Sorry, I forgot about the WSP Commerical Troopers. They have two pewter (gold) chev extened cab pickups. They are the Tow Truck Troopers. There are also a couple of white expeditions completely unmarked running around.

Then there are also tons of federal officers. They all have unmarked units. Tons of unmarked Chev Tahoes running around the area. But once again, a good clue that it’s a real cop is that no police car in the world only has a couple of lights. The new unmarked rigs have thousands of dollars of hidden lights. You will know when an unmarked police car is behind you, just look for the christmas tree flashing behind you. It is not mistakable.

Thanks for the info. I used to rely on just the plates have WSP in the license number but that is no longer a reliable clue. I’m blaming the cops for the whole impersonation thing going on. They are making it harder and harder to spot em and some people just don’t have either high enough IQ to figure it out or they’re just too trusting. Personally I think the two go hand in hand.

whwhwhat? - 21 November 2008 01:56 AM

Thanks for the info. I used to rely on just the plates have WSP in the license number but that is no longer a reliable clue. I’m blaming the cops for the whole impersonation thing going on. They are making it harder and harder to spot em and some people just don’t have either high enough IQ to figure it out or they’re just too trusting. Personally I think the two go hand in hand.

If you’re not doing anything you shouldn’t why would you need to worry about whether police or state patrol are running incognito?  And…

...blaming cops in unmarked vehicles for someone breaking the law is kinda goofy, dontcha think?

I was feeling goofy when I wrote that post.

whwhwhat? - 21 November 2008 11:07 AM

I was feeling goofy when I wrote that post.

I see.

whwhwhat? - 21 November 2008 11:07 AM

I was feeling goofy when I wrote that post.

I trusted you were goofy.  I feel taken advantage of.

Manerva - 21 November 2008 03:35 PM

whwhwhat? - 21 November 2008 11:07 AM

I was feeling goofy when I wrote that post.

I trusted you were goofy.  I feel taken advantage of.

I’m sorry. I have to blame that on the fact that I’m female and I have a tendancy to take advantage of people occasionally.