Police say man equipped his SUV with fake emergency markings

-- Sir Frederick Johann Mercado was so fascinated with police, fire and rescue work that authorities say he outfitted his Ford Explorer with all the flashy accoutrements.

"He had all the red lights," said state trooper Natasha Hansen. "He had them on all the side windows, the front, rear and on top, and he had an operating siren with three different siren sounds. And then he had strobe [lights] mounted in the front grill."

The vehicle's markings include an official-looking "Virginia Patrol" stencil on the rear, "Fire & Rescue" on both front fenders and "K-9 Unit" on the rear sides.

But now the 24-year-old Chesterfield County resident is in trouble with the law -- for impersonating a public safety officer.

Police said Mercado's fascination led him to create a fictitious company so he could register his 1998 Ford Explorer as an emergency vehicle with the Department of Motor Vehicles. That allowed him to display emergency vehicle license plates.

"He just expressed an interest in helping police and fire with search and rescue type operations," Hansen said.

The trooper became suspicious last summer when she saw Mercado driving his vehicle -- then marked with rescue squad tags -- around Hull Street Road and Commonwealth Centre Parkway in Chesterfield.

"The rescue squad vehicle [tag] was registered in his personal name," she said.

Then in September, Mercado was stopped by another trooper on charges of driving more than 80 mph on Chippenham Parkway with his emergency lights activated. He was charged with multiple traffic offenses, along with unlawfully operating the vehicle with emergency lights on.

The trooper shared that information with Hansen. With the help of a DMV agent, Hansen learned that Mercado had sold his vehicle on Nov. 12 to a fictitious company called "Virginia Patrol."

He was arrested Dec. 11 at work and charged with impersonating a public safety official and obtaining a vehicle title under false pretenses, a felony.

Aside from Mercado driving 80 mph down Chippenham Parkway with emergency lights flashing, police said they aren't aware of him stopping anyone or performing any emergency medical procedures.

"We are encouraging anybody that did have contact with him to come forward, so Trooper Hansen can add this to her investigation," said state police Sgt. Tom Cunningham.

Hansen said Mercado is not affiliated with any local police, fire or rescue agency, and has no known public safety training. In a booking photo taken after his arrest, Mercado is wearing gold captain bars on one lapel and K-9 bars on the other.

His vehicle has been impounded and he has been released on bond pending a hearing Jan. 30 in Chesterfield General District Court.

Contact Mark Bowes at (804) 649-6450 or .