Connecticut man caught impersonating police officer after stealing fire truck

Imagine the surprise of some drivers on Interstate 91 in Western Massachusetts when they found themselves being pulled over by a fire truck. This unusual incident occurred after a man stole the truck from a fire department and used it to impersonate a police officer.

Connecticut man pretends to be a cop in a stolen fire truck

A bizarre incident involving a 46-year-old man named Kristian Avery from Windsor, Connecticut, has led to his arrest for impersonating a police officer. However, this is just the beginning of an extraordinary tale.

State Police at the Northampton barracks were alerted to a situation where the driver of a Windsor Fire Department pickup truck was engaging in questionable motor vehicle stops. The fire truck had its emergency lights on and was pulling over drivers to engage in conversations with them.

Avery was discovered to have broken into the Windsor firehouse, where he attempted to ignite a fire before making off with a truck in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Troopers received a notification about the fire truck and quickly located it on Interstate 91 in Deerfield, near mile marker 36. Mass Live reported that the truck momentarily halted before evading the police in a brief pursuit.

State troopers and Deerfield police officers successfully employed stop sticks to bring the truck to a halt close to the Deerfield Weigh Station at mile marker 37.

Stop sticks are a safety tool used by law enforcement officers to deflate vehicle tires. These spikes are deployed from a plastic housing and are designed to be reusable. They provide a safe way to immobilize vehicles without posing a risk of injury to the officers.

Avery is now confronting numerous charges in Massachusetts, which include receiving stolen property, impersonating a police officer, failure to stop for police, negligent operation, and improper use of emergency lights.

Just to clarify, a fire truck or firefighter does not have the authority to pull you over or issue you a ticket. However, they may signal for you to move aside so they can pass by while they are responding to an emergency.

Failing to yield to emergency vehicles can lead to a traffic violation if reported by a police officer. It is important for drivers to be aware of and follow this rule.

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