There were blue lights flashing from the top of a dark-colored sedan. And two women — separated by a few hours and 12 miles — both believed a police officer was pulling them over as they drove alone in the early-morning hours.
The man in the car was even dressed like an officer and appeared to be wearing a badge, according to police. In both cases, he asked to see a driver’s license and briefly returned to his car. But when he returned, the phony officer sexually assaulted both women, said police in Atlanta and Cobb County.
“The biggest concern we have right now is that this person looked enough like a police officer and (we have) two cases we believe are similar enough to think that it’s potentially the same suspect,” Maj. Michael O’Connor with Atlanta police said Monday.
While investigators with two police departments work to identify the suspect, they are warning drivers to be alert for any other police imposters.
“I really can’t state strong enough how seriously law enforcement takes this case,” Cobb police Capt. Dan Ferrell said. “You have to understand that this really does strike at the core of every police officer across the country when we have an incident like this take place, because the men and women who actually put the badge on every day and do their job professionally and with integrity and honor, it tarnishes that reputation and it puts unnecessary fear and apprehension in the community.”
The first incident happened around 1 a.m. Friday along Nash Road in northwest Atlanta when a 25-year-old woman believed an officer was pulling her over, according to police. That same morning, around 4:30 a.m., another woman was driving to work along Terrell Mill Road and Paper Mill Road in Cobb County when she saw flashing lights. Both women were sexually assaulted.
Atlanta police initially believed they had located the suspect, O’Connor said.
“We had what we believed at the time initially was an extremely viable lead, so we ran that lead to the ground before we released any information to the public,” he said. “That lead hasn’t turned out in the way that we hoped that it would.”
Now, Cobb and Atlanta police are searching for any surveillance cameras in the areas of the assaults in hopes of finding a tag number or other details to help identify the person responsible. The two law enforcement agencies are working together, and both victims are expected to meet with a sketch artist.
“Sometimes the smallest piece of information that one agency might have is going to be a critical piece of evidence to the other agency to actually break the case open,” Ferrell said.
The car involved is described as a dark, four-door sedan with a blue light bar on the hood, according to police. It’s the type of light anyone could buy online for as little as $200, according to a quick search on Amazon.com.
The suspect is believed to be about 30 years old, stands 6 feet tall and weighs between 180 to 190 pounds, according to police. Both victims described him as a white man with brown hair and scruffy facial hair. He also wore dark clothing and had a star-shaped badge on his shirt.
Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to contact Atlanta or Cobb police.
AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM
Police offer these tips for drivers who see flashing blue lights behind them:
1. Slow down and turn on hazard lights
2. Find a well-lit area to stop
3. Call 911 to ask if an officer is conducting a traffic stop at your location
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