DELAND, Fla. — A man posed as a police officer and stopped a deaf woman over the weekend, deputies said Monday. The incident happened along a stretch of South Spring Garden Street in the heart of DeLand.
The woman told Volusia County deputies that she knew something was wrong right away. She was able to read the man's lips.
The woman was driving along the stretch of South Spring Garden Street when she saw flashing blue lights in her rear-view mirror and pulled over. Ida Webster told police instead of asking for her license and registration, he instead wanted cash.
She went to a nearby Citgo gas station and had someone call for help.
"What she thought was a police officer pulled her over. He had a light and everything," said the 911 caller. "When he came up to her car, he asked for money so she took off."
It turns out the man wasn't an officer, he was a fake.
Deputies searched the area for the car the impostor used, but couldn't find it. It's described as a four-door black vehicle.
"I wouldn't stop. I'd take the chance and take the ticket," Deland resident Donna Vestera said.
"That's pretty crazy and it makes me kind of scared to be like driving around and to know there are people out there who want that kind of thing," said resident Rebecca Brown.
Volusia County deputies said it's easy to get an outfit and badge to impersonate a cop. There's no law prohibiting the sale of such items, but there are laws prohibiting the illegal use of them.
"I'd definitely be intimidated, because what are you going to do? You're not really sure," Brown said.
The fake officer is described as a white male measuring about six-feet-tall with dark spiky hair. He was wearing a white shirt and black pants.