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Police: Fake Cops Help Stranded Motorists

Online Video Outs Their Highway Activities

Posted: 8:30 am EDT June 28, 2007

An online music video of self-described Good Samaritans has launched a police investigation.

The video shows a group of Colorado men, who have outfitted their cars with flashing lights driving on Interstate 25, looking for stranded travelers.

The men are not law enforcement, authorities said.

Colorado State Patrol troopers said one of the men was a Longmont volunteer firefighter, so he was allowed to have the flashing red and white lights on his vehicle.

However, troopers said motorist assists were not part of his job, and that ultimately puts the public at risk.

“People don't know if they're there to help them," said Trooper Ryan Sullivan with the CSP. "It makes it hard on us because they don't know who to trust and who not to trust."

Troopers said the men probably won't face police impersonation charges because they did not represent themselves as officers, but they could face traffic charges for the driving seen in the video.

The driver, Jason Venables, 18, of Longmont, said he was just trying to help people. He said he is no longer a volunteer for the Longmont Emergency Unit.

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