Man arrested for impersonating a police officer in Prince George

Photo: RCMP

A 29-year-old Prince George man is facing multiple charges after he was caught impersonating a police officer – this just two days before a similar incident on Highway 33, east of Kelowna.

At 10:20 p.m. on Friday, RCMP were informed by a member of the public that they were just approached by a man who was pretending to be a police officer.

The vehicle activated what appeared to be blue-and-red flashing police lights and followed the caller’s vehicle.

The caller then told police they were at a bonfire when a man, who identified himself as “Officer Maguire,” came to speak with them. When the witness asked the man for his badge number, he became belligerent and began swearing.

The witnesses state the suspect then left the area, activating what appeared to be police lights that flashed red and blue as he was driving away.

Frontline members conducted patrols in the area and found the man stopped in a parking lot.

Police identified as 29-year-old Patrick Maguire, who was arrested for impersonating a police officer.

They are also conducting a parallel impaired-driving investigation.

Maguire was ordered to remove the illegal modifications from his vehicle and have it inspected by a licensed inspection agency before driving again.

The B.C. Prosecution Service approved two counts of personating a police officer and one count of failing to comply with a probation order.

A similar case was reported on Highway 33 between Rock Creek and Kelowna on Sunday.