Ellensburg, WA – Investigators are asking the public to come forward after a man was arrested in connection with an alleged police impersonation case involving motorists along Interstate 90 in Central Washington.
According to the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office, multiple 911 callers reported seeing a black Ford Explorer equipped with emergency lights and other police-style equipment pulling vehicles over on westbound Interstate 90 in Grant County while traveling toward Kittitas County on Friday, July 3, 2026. Callers told dispatchers they believed the driver of the Explorer—and possibly the driver of a second black SUV traveling with it—was impersonating a law enforcement officer.
Deputies later located and seized a black Ford Explorer matching the description in Ellensburg. Authorities arrested a 20-year-old Spokane man on suspicion of criminal impersonation.
Investigators said the SUV was equipped with a police-style push bumper on the front and may have displayed emergency lights in or near the headlights or grille. The vehicle may also have had an interior light bar attached near the rear window.
The Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office believes there may be additional victims or witnesses who have not yet contacted investigators.
Anyone who saw the vehicle or driver conducting traffic stops on or near Interstate 90 on July 3, or who believes they may have been stopped by the suspect, is asked to contact Deputy Logan Nicholson at 509-925-8534 and reference case number 26-09547.
The allegations against the suspect have not been proven in court. The investigation remains ongoing.
