Freeborn County Sheriff warns of possible police impersonator

(Albert Lea, MN) – The Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of a possible police impersonator after two suspicious encounters last weekend.

According to a release posted on the sheriff’s Facebook page, deputies assisted the Steele County Sheriff and the Minnesota State Patrol in two separate incidents.

The first call came late Saturday from off I-35 near Ellendale.  The male victim was parked in a parking lot and described a dirty, older, Dodge Durango with a loud exhaust that pulled up to him.  The victim described the driver as a male, around age 30, with medium build and dark hair, who identified himself as an Iowa deputy.  The victim did not feel comfortable and called 911. The suspect left the scene before law enforcement arrived.

The second incident occurred 90 minutes later on I-35 two miles south of Ellendale, according to the release.  The incident was reported by a passerby, who saw the suspect vehicle with flashing lights pulling a car over.

Freeborn County Sheriff Chief Deputy Todd Earl recommended in the release that suspicious drivers should turn on hazards when getting pulled over, and stop only in well-lit, public areas with people.  Earl said drivers can call 911 while looking for a safe place to stop.  Drivers should also gather as much evidence as safely possible, including a description of the suspect, and noting the direction of travel when the suspect leaves.