UPDATE: Woman battered by possible police impersonator in Elkhart County

by John Paul (jpaul@wsbt.com)

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UPDATE: Woman battered by possible police impersonator in Elkhart County

(WSBT photo)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Aug 29, 2008 at 1:07 PM EST

Story Updated: Sep 1, 2008 at 11:03 PM EST

MIDDLEBURY — A 21-year-old woman told police she was battered Thursday night after she stopped her vehicle on a county road for a person she believed was a police officer.

Neighbors who live along County Road 35, north of County Road 14, near Middlebury say once the sun sets, it's a quiet road with very little traffic.

"It's a scary thought," said Becky Korenstra. "It's the perfect area for this to happen, because it's not a well traveled road."

Korenstra added, "Police asked my husband if we had seen or heard anything suspicious in the hours before they arrived."

The case is being investigated as a possible sexual battery and impersonation of a public official.

A passerby called police just before 10 p.m. after finding the woman bound with duct tape on the side of County Road 35.

Nathan Wyse recalled looking outside his window to see his street busy with police activity.

"Very rarely do we see one squad car," said Wyse. "So to see nine was a pretty big deal."

The woman was taken to Goshen General Hospital for examination and treatment of minor injuries.

The Elkhart County Sheriff's Department has very little to go on. Details about the alleged imposter's description or his vehicle were not released.

Captain Sean Holmes said this is just the latest case of someone impersonating an officer.

"It has been at least seven months since we've had a report of a police impersonator," Holmes said.

A man stopped a 23-year-old woman on a county road and hit her in the face with a flashlight in December 2007.

In October 2007, several Elkhart teens were approached by two men pretending to be officers. Those suspects were arrested days later.

Sheriff’s department officers initiating a traffic stop either will be in a police uniform or driving a marked squad car with red and blue lights, according to spokesman Trevor Wendzonka. If drivers are unsure about a situation, they should continue moving at or below the speed limit to a well-lit location before stopping, he said, noting that officers recognize this safety maneuver and will not file a charge of fleeing police.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department at (574) 533-8644 during business hours or (574) 533-4151 at night and on weekends.

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