HALL COUNTY, Ga. — Hall County investigators said a man accused of impersonating an officer took it further than they've ever seen.
Nicholas Wilbanks, 32, was arrested Friday after deputies spotted his black Dodge Charger with dark tinted windows and emergency lights in the rear windshield.
"A lot of the things looked correct on it, but one of the things that stood out was it was a private license plate on this car, and this was obviously not an undercover car," said Sgt. Stephen Wilbanks with the Hall County Sheriff's Office, no relation. "It simply appeared to be an unmarked car."
Investigators said the suspect had several police T-shirts marked "K-9 Unit" and "Border Patrol."
They said he also had a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives badge.
However, it was his car that stood out to investigators.
"It had a push bumper with a (public announcement) system," Wilbanks said. "It was equipped with emergency lights with a camera system, a gear organizer. He had weapons; he even had two German shepherds in the car with him."
Several witnesses, including David Roak, said they where there when Hall County Deputies caught up to the suspect on Brown's Bridge Road in Gainesville.
"They just picked him up and stuffed him in the car and when they popped the trunk, they had a whole bag of guns," Roak said.
Deputies said the suspect knew how to handle those weapons.
"He was a former Marine," Wilbanks said. "We know that, but as far as we know, no former law enforcement experience."
So far, it's a mystery to investigators what the suspect may have been up to.
"So far, he's denied that there's been any contact with citizens of a pseudo law enforcement nature," Wilbanks said. "The investigation has developed information that leads us to think otherwise."
Investigators ask anyone who may have been approached by the suspect to give them a call at 770-531-6879.
WSBTV
