St. Petersburg man accused of impersonating police officer to run stop sign

ST. PETERSBURG — A 31-year-old contractor is accused of impersonating a police officer after authorities say he used fake red-and-blue police lights to run a stop sign at 26th Avenue S and Martin Luther King Jr. Street S.

Brian Scott Curp is charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer and is being held at the Pinellas County Jail in lieu of $5,000 bail.

Curp, who drove a gray, four-door Ford G6 instead of a Crown Victoria usually used by police, allowed officers to search his apartment at 10600 Fourth St. N after his arrest. The search uncovered more police lights and a siren. Curp told police he used his contractor's license to purchase the gear.

Curp told police he's used the lights before to get through traffic because he "believed other vehicles would think he was someone with authority like a police officer."

Earlier reports provided by police incorrectly linked Curp to another incident of someone impersonating a police officer in St. Petersburg last week. The two cases are not connected, police said.