Madera man outfitted truck with flashing lights and pulled over motorists, police say
A Madera, Calif., man authorities said has been impersonating a police officer and pulling over motorists for months is facing multiple counts of false imprisonment and other charges, authorities said Monday.
Alejandro Meza Aguilar, 50, confessed to mounting flashing red and blue lights on his pickup truck, then using them to force drivers to stop, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office said.
Starting in November, calls to the Sheriff’s Office alerted officials that drivers were being pulled over in the area of Avenue 14 and Road 23, in addition to Highway 145 and Avenue 7. Callers continued to share alerts with sheriff’s deputies on Thursday and Friday.
Officials identified Aguilar as a suspect based on statements from witnesses, who eventually singled him out from a photo lineup. Detectives later served a search warrant at his home.
Aguilar drove a white single-cab truck decked with a blue stripe along its side and front- and rear-facing red and blue flashing lights, officials said.
Twitter: @newsterrier
More to Read
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.