A man posing as a police officer sexually assaulted a woman Thursday after signaling her to stop her car, authorities said.
The victim was driving on the 1100 block of Syracuse Street at about 3:35 a.m. when she was pulled over by a man driving what she believed to be a police car, said John White, Denver police spokesman.
The man walked up to the car, sexually assaulted the woman and then allowed her to leave, White said.
The victim told a friend what happened, and the friend called the police.
The suspect is described as between the ages of 20 and 30, about 5 feet 11 inches tall and 140 pounds, with blond hair and hazel eyes, White said.
He was wearing a dark blue police-type uniform with a metal badge and an 8-point police-type hat with a rain cover.
The suspect’s vehicle is described as a four-door, black or blue Chevy Impala or Caprice, with flashing lights in the rear window.
White said that when someone is pulled over, they should look for police markings on the car.
If someone believes an impersonator is trying to pull them over, they should drive to the nearest police station, while obeying traffic laws, he said.
If the driver feels the need to pull over quickly, it should be done in a well-lit area or a densely populated location, White said. The driver should use a cellphone to call police.
Staff writer Kirk Mitchell can be reached at 303-820-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com.
