By Laura French
SAINT MARYS, Pa. — A Pennsylvania man has been charged with impersonating a public servant after allegedly misrepresenting himself as a firefighter and EMS provider.
Saint Marys police say they stopped Anthony Rossino, 24, after seeing him drive down the road with his four-way lights flashing and a white flashing light mounted under his rearview mirror, according to WTAJ. Police reported that Rossino was waving a flashlight and trying to have other motorists move out of his way.
Rossino was reportedly wearing an Emporium Fire Department uniform and badge when he was stopped, and he allegedly told officers he was responding to a car fire. Police called the chief of the Emporium Fire Department and were told Rossino was not and never had been a member of the department.
Police later interviewed Rossino, who reportedly said he had applied to the Emporium, Crystal and Johnsonburg Fire Departments but was not currently a firefighter. He said he had been rejected by the Johnsonburg department and had not heard back from the other two agencies. He also reportedly told police he had acquired the uniform and badge and a scanner from friends.
Officers reported that Rossino’s vehicle displayed the words “emergency,” “unit,” “JFD” and “EMS,” and had reflective tape on the exterior in the shape of a red cross with a white outline. Rossino surrendered the uniform to police but declined to hand over ammonium inhalants he was carrying because he said he might need to use them on someone, officials said.
Rossino faces one second-degree misdemeanor count of impersonating a public servant.