A Fort Collins man has been arrested on charges of impersonating a peace officer, following an incident that raised the suspicions of a local driver near Horsetooth Reservoir. On Tuesday, the driver encountered a red Toyota 4Runner that activated emergency lights and a siren after he had passed it, the man grew dubious, thinking the vehicle didn't quite seem to be a legitimate law enforcement officer which led him to report to the authorities despite the 4Runner eventually discontinuing its pursuit and driving away.
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office was quick to respond, with deputies tracking down the vehicle in question and identifying the owner as Hugh Clark, born on January 22, 1962. According to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, upon further investigation, deputies found paraphernalia including clothing with law enforcement insignias handcuffs, and radios.
Clark was booked into the Larimer County Jail on January 30, where he faces serious charges: Impersonating a Peace Officer, which is a class 5 felony, and knowingly possessing a vehicle equipped with red or blue lights, a traffic offense. A booking photo was released to the public to aid in transparency and community awareness concerning such deceptive practices.
After his arrest, Clark obtained a $3,500 personal recognizance bond and has since bonded out of jail, but questions linger around the motives and potential past activities of the accused impersonator, per Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.
