Published: March 10, 2009 11:45 pm      

Police seek man who impersonated trooper

BEDFORD — State police are seeking information about a man who allegedly impersonated a police officer and forced a Bedford County woman to pull to the side of Route 56, authorities said Tuesday.

A report issued by Trooper Christopher Patrick said the incident occurred near the Somerset-Bedford county line around 10:30 p.m. Monday when a 20-year-old Alum Bank woman was traveling home from her job in Windber.

The woman told police she was traveling east on Route 56 when a vehicle behind her activated red and yellow emergency lights. She pulled off the road and was approached by a man who identified himself as a state trooper.

He was wearing a dark, button-front shirt with the words “State Trooper” stitched in the shoulder area and some type of badge pinned to the front, the woman told police.

The man said she was being pulled over because her vehicle had a malfunctioning taillight.

He then took her driver’s license, insurance card and registration to his vehicle.

He returned 10 minutes later, handed over the documents and told the woman to get out of her vehicle. She refused, pulled her vehicle onto the highway and continued to drive east on Route 56.

The man returned to his car and followed her for about three miles to the Hemlock Lane area, where he turned around and headed west on Route 56.

He is described as 6 feet to 6 feet 2 inches with dark, crew-cut hair. He was wearing black pants with a yellow stripe and black long-sleeved shirt, and had a diamond earring in his right ear.

The man was driving a two-door silver Mazda or Chrysler convertible.

Anyone with information may contact state police in Bedford at 623-6133.