The Chelsea Standard
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Chelsea woman escapes attack by police impersonator
By Edward Freundl, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: May 8, 2008
A Chelsea woman escaped serious injury or worse when she fled from a man pretending to be a police officer.
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According to a report released by Unadilla Township Police Chief William Cook, a 19-year-old Chelsea woman reported to Unadilla Township Police that she had been stopped by a man on Livermore Road near Doyle Road in Livingston County at about 10:30 p.m. April 28.
According to the report, the man used a red and blue flashing light in his vehicle to stop the woman. She stated he walked up to her car door and told her he stopped her because she was swerving.
Initially, the woman thought he was a police officer because he had a police-type uniform shirt with a badge and a police-type hat, the report stated.
She became suspicious when the man ordered her to step out of her car so he could take her to the police station for a breath test.
When the woman locked her car door and refused to exit her vehicle, the man attempted to grab her by her shirt.
The victim then fled the scene.
Being unfamiliar with the area, the woman initially filed a complaint at the Chelsea Police Department, who referred the investigation back to Unadilla Township police.
"Our department took a statement from her and sent her back to the jurisdiction it occurred in," said Chelsea Police Chief Ed Toth Jr.
The man was described as about 6 feet tall, weighing about 180 lbs. with short- to medium-length brown hair. He had light mustache and he had a "strong odor of tobacco about him," according to the report.
The victim was unable to provide a description of the suspect's vehicle.
According to Chief Cook, in order to lawfully make a traffic stop, Michigan law enforcement agencies are required by law to have a police vehicle with distinctive markings with a red and/or blue oscillating light with an audible siren, and the officer must be in an official uniform with distinctive markings which normally includes a badge and shoulder patches with the name of the police agency.
Toth confirmed that a police officer making a traffic stop should be in full uniform and in a marked police car.
"She did the right thing," Toth said, referring to the victim's actions.
"Get on your cell phone and call 911 to relay the information to the proper authorities."
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Unadilla Township Police Department at 734-498-2325, ext. 223.
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