Fake cop flees real police, crashes into OPD patrol car, officers say

Suspect tells officers he was making sure they were OK

ORLANDO, Fla. –  A man with a history of impersonating law enforcement officers told real police that he had his flashing lights on because he was making sure the officers were OK, before leading authorities on a wrong-way chase that ended in a crash, according to Orlando Police Department officials.

Orlando police said they saw Albert Michael Dolan, 53, of Ocoee, in his black Dodge Charger on North John Young Parkway Thursday with red and blue flashing lights. Dolan pulled over onto the shoulder of southbound North John Young Parkway facing north.

The officer said he thought Dolan was a law enforcement officer having vehicle trouble so he got into his OPD patrol vehicle and went over to the Dodge Charger, according to the arrest report.

When the police officer spoke to Dolan, he noticed a strong smell of alcohol coming from the car and a pilsner glass with a drink in it, according to the report. Dolan told police that he was not a law enforcement officer.

"He stated that he saw that we (the police) had someone detained down the road and wanted to make sure we were OK," the officer wrote in the report.

Dolan later told officers that there was an "unknown black male in the area breaking women's backs and that he was trying to locate him to help us out."

As officers attempted to conduct a DUI test, Dolan said he was going to leave and got in his car and drove the wrong way down North John Young Parkway, according to the report.

Dolan drove down the highway at a slow speed, allowing the OPD officer to pass him and block the Dodge Charger. Dolan crashed into the patrol car, police said.

Dolan refused to show officers his hands, attempted to reach for something in the passengers seat and then put his hands in his pockets, police said. After ignoring several more commands an OPD officer deployed a Taser, but Dolan still would not remove his hands from his pockets. After a brief struggle with police, Dolan was handcuffed, according to the report.

This isn't the first time authorities say Dolan has been accused of impersonating a law enforcement officer.

Records show Dolan was also charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer in August 1994.

Then in September last year, Dolan was arrested again on similar charges after a Winter Garden police officer said the suspect was weaving in and out of traffic with red and blue lights on and also possibly under the influence of alcohol.

Police said Dolan called the officer "brother" multiple times and repeatedly insisted that he was a fellow officer.

Dolan is charged with impersonating an officer using flashing blue lights, resisting an officer without violence and fleeing a law enforcement officer. He was booked into the Orange County Jail and held without bail.


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