Accused serial police impersonator released from Orange County Jail
The Orange County Sheriff's Office said they've arrested a serial impersonator after he pulled a man over during a fake traffic stop.
The Sheriff's Office said 60-year-old Albert Michael Dolan was arrested for the fourth time for impersonating a law enforcement officer on Monday.
Court records obtained by Channel 9 show he was released on a court order for pre-trial release Tuesday evening.
In an arrest report, deputies said Dolan was driving a Black Ford Explorer that looked like an unmarked police vehicle and had amber flashing lights.
Deputies said Dolan told the victim he was being stopped for speeding.
That victim quickly turned suspicious, asked for Dolan's badge, and even recorded some of the interaction.
Video obtained by Channel 9 shows Dolan telling the victim during the fake traffic stop he was 'free to go' because 'there were better cars' down the road.
The victim, Frank Schaefer, said Dolan took off after that moment.
Schaefer said he called 911 to report a fake traffic stop and was able to note Dolan's plates before he got away.
'I was both frightened and angry because how was this guy able to do this to me?,' said Schaefer.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office arrested Dolan that evening. He was previously arrested in 2017 by Winter Garden Police and in 2018 by the Orlando Police Department for similar crimes.
'I thought impersonating a police officer is a pretty serious offense. The fact that he's done it multiple times and he's still out on the streets, able to this again, it's shocking to me,' said Schaefer.
Now that Dolan has been released from jail, Schaefer is concerned for his family's safety. He's concerned Dolan may have had access to some personally sensitive information during the fake traffic stop.
Schaefer's now warning others to follow their intuition and verify with law enforcement if they ever have concerns about the legitimacy of a traffic stop.
'If you're not sure, call 911 and let them walk you through what to do next. Don't just pull over because you could become a victim,' said Schaefer.
The Orange County Sheriff's office said anyone suspicious of a traffic stop can call 911 to verify with dispatch.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office also said people should look for blue and red lights since impersonators often use other colors, hoping victims won't be suspicious of that.
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