PORT TOWNSEND — If the flashing blue beacon light behind you on the highway is from a “bubble” light atop the vehicle, beware.
It’s unlikely to be a sworn police officer.
The Port Townsend Police Department has notified law enforcement agencies across the North Olympic Peninsula that a man impersonated a police officer late Monday.
A Port Townsend woman, driving with her daughter and granddaughter at night, was pulled over by a man in a large, dark-colored van or SUV with a portable flashing blue “bubble” or “cherry” light atop it.
No law enforcement agency in either Jefferson or Clallam counties uses such a light, Port Townsend Sgt. Ed Green said.
“The State Patrol does have blue lights, but no one uses the bubble lights,” he said.
“They all use the bar lights on the top of their vehicle.”
The man — described as slender with short hair — never reached the woman in the car he signaled to pull over as she drove down Jackman Street near the Jefferson County Fairgrounds at 10 p.m. Monday.
He got out of his vehicle as if to approach her car, turned around , got back in and left.
“I thought that a bank robbery or a murder had taken place because he left in a hurry,” said the Port Townsend woman, who declined to be identified because she fears retribution from the man, who remains at large.
“But there were no lights going when he took off.”
