Man Accused Of Pulling Over Deputy, Pretending To Be Cop

PLANT CITY, FL — A 35-year-old man is behind bars after sheriff's deputies said he pretended to be a law enforcement officer and pulled over a Lee County Sheriff's deputy.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, just before 8:30 p.m. on July 4, an off-duty Lee County Sheriff's deputy was traveling east on Interstate 4 when a black Crown Victoria with white and amber lights pulled behind him with the emergency lights activated.

The Lee County deputy pulled to the shoulder and the Crown Victoria pulled beside him. The driver, Barry Lee Hastings Jr., told the deputy to "slow down." The deputy challenged him for credentials twice, to which Hastings responded he is a law enforcement officer and his credentials were at the office. He told the deputy he could follow him back to the "station" so he could obtain and show him his credentials. The deputy then told Hastings he was going to get law enforcement involved and dialed 911. That's when Hastings fled east on I-4.

He exited on Branch Forbes Road between Plant City and Brandon, and was stopped by a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputy where he was detained. Deputies found a functional siren box and light setup, similar to Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputies, in the Crown Victoria. There was also a CB radio. Hastings was placed under arrest for Impersonating a public officer.