Crime & Safety
Man Pretended To Be Firefighter, Collected Cash In Boot: Sheriff
A 45-year-old man has been arrested after sheriff's deputies said he impersonated a Pasco County firefighter and collected donations.
LUTZ, FL — A 45-year-old Hillsborough County man has been arrested after sheriff's deputies said he impersonated a Pasco County firefighter and collected donations from drivers at the busy intersection of State Road 56 and Grand Cypress Drive in front of Tampa Premium Outlets mall in Lutz.
According to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, Ryan Cushing-Gomez was arrested Sunday, Dec. 15, around 4 p.m. after dressing in a firefighter's T-shirt and ball cap and collecting cash in a firefighter's boot.
The sheriff's office said Cushing-Gomez is a former Pasco County firefighter but has no authority to collect funds for Pasco County Fire Rescue.
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He was charged with impersonating a firefighter.
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