Florida man, 35-year-old Barry Lee Hastings, Jr., was arrested on the Fourth of July for impersonating a public officer after pulling over a real off duty Lee County Sheriff’s Deputy.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings, Jr. pulled up next to an off-duty Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputy on I-4 in a black Ford Crown Victoria just before 8:30 p.m. Thursday. After they pulled off to the shoulder, Hastings allegedly told the deputy he needed to “slow down.” When the requested to see his credentials Hastings said “he was a law enforcement officer and his credentials were at the office,” according to WFTS. Hastings advised the deputy he could follow him back to the “station” to see his credentials and that’s when the deputy called 911.
Hastings took off and was pulled over after exiting the interstate by a real Hillsborough County deputy. He was detained while they interviewed the off-duty deputy who reported the incident. The sheriff’s office said, “A functional siren box and light setup, similar to HCSO’s, was discovered within the Crown Victoria. There was also a CB radio. No handcuffs or firearms were located in the vehicle.”
