Man Arrested For Flashing Fake Badge

COLFAX (CBS13) -- A man is facing charges of impersonating a police officer after flashing a fake badge to motorists, and authorities said he gave an unusual excuse for the alleged incident.

The Nevada County Sheriff's Office said a couple driving along State Route 174 to Colfax reported seeing another driver tailgate them, flash his lights and then pulled alongside their vehicle, showing them a badge that investigators say was likely a concealed weapons permit.

The driver, identified as Daniel Krummenacher, swerved back into their lane and nearly ran them off the road, deputies said, and then sped away.

The victims called authorities after spotting Krummenacher's vehicle in the parking lot of a medical marijuana dispensary in Colfax. When deputies arrived and contacted the suspect, they found he possessed three badges, including a 1980s L.A. County Coroner's badge.

Krummenacher told authorities the coroner's badge belonged to his dog, according to Sgt. Daniel Saunders, saying "that the dog was a dog trained to sniff out dead bodies and it has since retired" after developing "nose cancer."

Krummenacher declined to comment when CBS13 contacted him Wednesday afternoon.

Investigators said they've had contact with the suspect in the past for various disturbances.