Police: Driver Allegedly Used Vehicle Outfitted To Look Like Patrol Car To Avoid Traffic In Patterson

PATTERSON (CBS13) — A person who was allegedly driving a vehicle outfitted to look like a police car just to get around traffic has been arrested in Patterson.

On Wednesday, Patterson police say two of their officers got stuck in traffic while driving home.

At some point, while sitting in traffic, the officers spotted a vehicle with lights and sirens coming up behind them. The vehicle started to go around the traffic, but the driver apparently spotted a marked sheriff's vehicle ahead - prompting the impersonator to try and pull back in.

The driver almost crashed into the Patterson police vehicles, officers say.

Officers soon pulled the impersonator over and the driver was arrested.

Police say they had to remove the whole grill from the suspect's vehicle, as the faux emergency lights were installed permanently to it.

"In summary, please do not impersonate the police just to get around traffic and if you do do not permanently attach your fake police lights to your grill. It will catch up with you and we will take your grill as evidence," Patterson police wrote in a statement about the incident.

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The name of the driver arrested has not been released.

In:
• Patterson News