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Investigation underway on report of man impersonating member of law enforcement

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Posted at 4:33 PM, Apr 15, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-15 18:33:03-04

MISSOULA — The Ravalli County Sheriff's Office and other agencies are investigating a report of a man reportedly impersonating a law enforcement member during an incident on Highway 93 on Friday, April 9, 2021.

According to officials, the man stopped a driver at mile marker 77 of Highway 93 South in Missoula County. The suspect was described as a white male, ~6’ tall, normal build with a brown goatee. He was wearing black boots, black cargo pants, “trooper hat”, dark aviator sunglasses, a collared shirt, and a black windbreaker. He reportedly was wearing a duty belt with a left-handed gun holster that contained a pistol. The vehicle is believed to be a 2006-2013 black Chevrolet Impala with dash red and blue lights and a siren.

The victim noticed two distinct things about the car:

1. Short antennae on the driver’s side trunk

2. Two front antennas on the hood, closest to the windshield. They were “shorter than normal”.

After the stop, the vehicle returned southbound towards Ravalli County. Officials say the man was clearly not law enforcement, citing the reason for the stop was “unrestrained dogs” and then threatened to charge the driver with “officer harassment”.

Officials say surrounding agencies have already been contacted.

Citizens are asked to be aware of their surroundings, and to contact Ravalli County Sheriff's Office 911 Center at 406-363-3033 if they know of this suspect or vehicle.