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Largo man faces more charges for impersonating an officer

 
Blumencranz
Blumencranz
Published April 2, 2016

A Largo man faces new charges of impersonating a police officer from both Largo and Clearwater police, bringing the total allegations that he pretended to be a cop to four times in less than a week.

Todd Jeffrey Blumencranz, 35, turned himself in Thursday after he learned that a woman he pulled over for speeding March 17 had identified his photo to police, said Clearwater spokesman Rob Shaw.

After he was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on false impersonation charges, Largo police added more charges for a March 18 incident, when Blumencranz tried to pull over a car driven by a woman using a red light on his dashboard.

Police say that when she didn't pull over, Blumencranz pulled alongside her and told her to pull over. The woman told police he was driving fast and recklessly, and she worried he might cause an accident before he eventually drove away, police said.

Blumencranz was first arrested for impersonating a police officer by Largo police March 19 after he introduced himself to a neighbor as Todd Miller, a Pinellas sheriff's narcotics deputy, and asked him to follow him out to his "unmarked" silver 2007 Nissan Altima, the same car he used in the other incidents.

He was released a few hours later on $5,000 bail.

The next day, March 20, Blumencranz tried to pull over a yellow Ford Mustang on U.S. 19 while using a red flashing light on his dashboard, Largo police said. Blumencranz told police he was driving more than 100 mph, a report states. He was arrested but released again on $5,000 bail.

Blumencranz now faces four counts of impersonating an officer and one count of aggravated battery. He was released from jail Friday after posting $30,000 bail.

Contact Megan Reeves at mreeves@tampabay.com or (727) 445-4153. Follow @mreeves_tbt.