SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. — Florida Highway Patrol troopers say they caught a convicted sex predator impersonating an officer on I-75.
50-year-old Anthony Lee Tripp was arrested Sunday in Sumter County after blaring sirens and forcing drivers out of their lanes, according to the arrest report.
Hunter Thomas says he heard sirens. Then, he saw a red Dodge Ram truck speed past his vehicle, flashing amber and white lights.
“The truck looked nothing like a police type vehicle, but he was surely blaring police sirens,” Thomas said.
Thomas says he saw the truck swerve in and out of traffic, tailing other cars.
“They all slammed on their brakes because they’re wondering where the police sirens coming from, so he nearly caused several accidents,” Thomas said.
Thomas called Florida Highway Patrol, giving the truck’s license plate.
FHP pulled over Anthony Lee Tripp, a convicted sexual predator. The Florida Sex Offender Registry shows Tripp was convicted twice for lewd and lascivious acts in the presence of a child under the age of 16 in 1995 and 2000.
The same Dodge truck is registered to Tripp in the sex offender registry.
According to the report, Tripp denied he had a siren box in his truck, but when troopers searched the truck, they found the siren box reachable from the driver seat. The report says the box had six siren settings.
“Two of them were identical to the sirens used in my own marked patrol vehicle,” the trooper wrote in the report.
Tripp was charged with “false personation” of law enforcement. His vehicle was seized, according to FHP. Tripp bailed out on a $2,500 bond Monday.
So, what should you do if you think you’re being pulled over by someone who isn’t law enforcement? We spoke to former FHP Trooper Jeff Lotter.
“The ideal circumstance is you place your hazard lights on acknowledging that you see the police officer behind you, you then call 911 yourself,” Lotter said.
Lotter says be prepared to describe the suspicious vehicle and give your current location with the nearest cross street or mile marker.
“And the dispatcher will then route you to the proper law enforcement agency to make sure that’s a valid stop or direct you to help or resources,” Lotter said.
Lotter, who is a defense attorney, says the case isn’t as clear cut because Tripp flashed yellow and white lights—that doesn’t impersonate law enforcement.
“The photos of the pickup truck make this look like either a fire battalion chief or maybe even a construction get-her-done truck. If he’s driving a construction truck down the road, these lights are legal. He’s not using them as authorized. Certainly, it’s not a good look. Certainly, it may be criminal. I don’t think this one rises the level of police personation. You have to identify yourself through some type of action as a first responder or law enforcement officer,” Lotter said.
But as for the Tripp reportedly using sirens, Lotter says, “he’s not making a good case for himself.”
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