Two incidents involved a black Dodge Charger, the third was a black SUV. All had police-type lights.

TIPPECANOE COUNTY — On a rural road, north of Lafayette, is one of three locations, in three counties where female drivers were pulled over by suspected police impersonators in the last week.

“It’s very scary. Very scary,” said Mindy Foster. “And I think about my daughter because she travels this road to go to work.”

Two incidents involved a black Dodge Charger, the third was a black SUV. All had police-type lights. They happened near Columbus on I-65, in Anderson near Hoosier park, and near the White-Tippacanoe county line on Springboro Road.

“What do you tell your daughter? She said, ‘Mom, there was a black Charger that followed me home’,” said Foster. “It made my heart sink.”

Her daughter was not pulled over, but the woman who was, north of Battleground, put up a fight with the impersonator and got away.

It’s got brothers and sons calling sisters and moms.

“He was just alerting me, ‘Do not pull over if this is not an obvious policeman’,” said driver Gail McCauley. “It’s scary because there are a lot of undercover vehicles around. I think anybody would have pulled over.”

A web search shows similar cases around the country, all involving black Dodge Chargers – and some got violent.

“Somebody trying to be the lowest of the low. Trying to rip people off,” said Vince Pariso.

Vince Pariso drives a black Dodge Charger. He’s not a patrolman, but he knows his car’s effect on other drivers even without fake police lights.

“A lot of times people move out of the way when they see me coming up, or they will come along the side or slow down, stick by your rear, becoming a safety hazard.”

And he warns the women in his life: “Call 911. Tell them where you’re getting pulled over at. They’ll let you know if there’s a police officer in that area. If not, stay on the phone with them. They’ll have a guy come out, pull over the guy trying to get you.”

State Police had several tips you can follow if you think you’re being tailed by a fake officer:

• Stay in your vehicle
• Lock your doors
• Call 911
• Don’t confront the subject
• Wait for a marked police car or an officer in uniform to arrive

Source: WTHR