Drivers were confused as a fire truck pulled them over. Turns out it was stolen by a man impersonating a police officer.
Have you ever been pulled over by a fire truck? A few drivers along Interstate 91 in Western Massachusetts got to experience this first hand after a man stole a truck from the fire department. He used the stolen truck to impersonate a police officer.
Connecticut man pretends to be a cop in a stolen fire truck
46-year-old, Krisitan Avery, of Windsor Connecticut, is now behind bars after impersonating a police officer. The story only gets wilder from here.
State Police in the Northampton barracks received reports of a driver of a Windsor Fire Department pickup truck conducting suspicious motor vehicle stops. The fire truck had its emergency lights activated and was pulling over drivers to speak with them.
Officers learned that Avery broke into the Windsor fireshour, tried to start a fire, and then stole the truck early on Sunday morning.
After troopers were alerted about the fire truck, it was spotted on Interstate 91 in Deerfield, near mile maker 36. According to Mass Live, the truck briefly stopped and then led police on a short chase.
State troopers and Deerfield police officers used stop sticks to stop the truck near mile marker 37 by the Deerfield Weigh Station.
A stop stick deploys spikes from plastic housing to deflate vehicle tires. They are reusable and keep officers safe from sharp spikes during deployment.
Avery now faces multiple charges in Massachusetts, including receiving stolen property, impersonating a police officer, failure to stop for police, negligent operation, and improper use of emergency lights.
For the record, a fire truck or firefighter can’t pull you over or write you a ticket. They may motion for you to get over so they can get around you while responding to an emergency situation.
Drivers must yield to emergency vehicles. Failing to do so could result in a traffic violation if it gets reported by a police officer.
