A Polk County man has been arrested and charged with impersonating a police officer.
On Thursday, a PCSO deputy was contacted by a witness who told the PCSO deputy she had been traveling west on Maine Avenue in Lakeland when a male subject, later identified as Luis Vega, 38, had driven up behind in her at a high rate of speed in a vehicle with blue flashing lights.
The witness told the deputy she believed the vehicle to be that of an undercover law enforcement officer and moved to the side of the road.
The witness described the vehicle as being a silver two-door Pontiac Grand Prix.
The witness said when Vega passed her, the driver did not appear to be a law enforcement officer. A short distance from where the witness first observed Vega, she encountered the vehicle once again and pulled in behind it and took a photo of the vehicle and tag.
At approximately the same time, Vega exited his vehicle and approached the witness, who then told Vega it was unlawful to impersonate a police officer.
Vega laughed and said “good luck with that,” then added a derogatory term.
Deputies located Vega traveling in the area of Maine Avenue and Dawn Heights. Vega’s vehicle flashing lights were engaged.
Vega told the deputy he would engage the lights to get around people because they thought he was “a police officer.”
Vega told the deputy, “You can get around so much faster when stupid people are moving out of your way.”
Vega was arrested without incident and booked into the Polk County Jail.