For the fourth time in less than a month, a Largo man has been arrested for impersonating a law enforcement officer.
In the latest incident, his alleged victims took video of him trying to stop them on the road. ABC Action News has exclusive still shots from the video.
Todd Blumencranz of 601-4103 Rosery Road in Largo, was charged Thursday with two counts of impersonating a law enforcement officer and aggravated assault. He was charged in two separate but new cases.
One in Clearwater and one in Largo.
The latest incident took place in Clearwater on East Bay Drive March 18 around 7:15 a.m.
Largo PD says he tried to pull over two women and pulled up behind them at a high rate of speed. He also had a flashing red light in his window.
The woman took video of the incident and handed it off to police.
The next incident occurred on March 17 in Clearwater near Belcher and Nursery Roads.
According to police, Blumencranz is accused of pulling a woman over for speeding while she was on her way to work.
The woman told officers that she was pulled over by a silver car that had red and white lights on the mirror and dashboard, police said.
Blumencranz reportedly identified himself as an off-duty officer who was on his way to work. He is accused of taking the woman's license back to his car and pretending to communicate via an earpiece.
He also had a clipboard with him, police said.
Blumencranz reportedly let the woman off with a warning.
The woman called police once she got to work.
Police say she later positively identified him from a photo pack as the man that pulled her over.
PREVIOUSLY REPORTED
Largo Police say in less than 24 hours, a 35-year-old man was arrested and bonded out twice for impersonating a law enforcement officer.
In the most recent incident, the man reportedly chased two women in a car at speeds in excess of 100 mph.
Todd Blumencranz of 601-4103 Rosery Road in Largo, is now facing two counts of falsely impersonating a law enforcement officer.
On Saturday morning, police say Blumencranz posed as an undercover narcotics deputy with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, an arrest affidavit states.
Police say Blumencranz approached a man and identified himself by the name Todd Miller and asked the man to follow him outside to his unmarked cruiser.
"He couldn't make eye contact with me," said Richard Quartararo, who says he was approached by the suspect while walking his dog.
"His voice was like broken up like stumbling a little bit. That's why I thought maybe he just had some mental issue."
Blumencranz began asking Quartararo questions regarding auto burglaries in the area and if he had seen or heard anything suspicious, an arrest affidavit states.
"He had a knife in his waistband," Quartararo recalled.
According to Quartararo, Blumencranz told him a nine and 11-year-old were arrested around 2 a.m. for possession of crack.
It is unclear how or when police arrived at the scene.
Blumencranz was arrested and police say he admitted to impersonating a law enforcement officer because "he just wanted to look cool."
Police say Blumencranz falsely impersonated a deputy before in order to get a discounted haircut.
Blumencranz was arrested but bonded out later Saturday afternoon.
Quartararo told ABC Action News he wants the building management to get rid of Blumencranz.
"What are they going to do moving forward?" he questioned.
ABC Action News knocked at the suspect's door but no one answered. We also left a message for him on his phone but did not receive a call back. Additionally, we contacted him on Facebook but also never heard back.
LARGO PD: WOMAN CHASED AT 100+ MPH
Around 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, police say Blumencranz once again posed as a law enforcement officer.
According to police, Blumencranz was driving northbound on U.S. 19 in his 2007 silver Nissan when he attempted to pull over two women driving in a Ford Mustang.
Blumencranz had placed a red flashing light on his dash, police say. The cars windows are also tinted.
"I got up to about 120 mph," said Amber Nottingham, the driver of the Ford Mustang. "I really thought I was going to lose my life."
Nottingham, who is a nurse, was on her way to work. She says she immediately knew Blumencraz was not a real cop.
He pulled behind the driver at a high rate of speed and followed her as she exited the roadway, an arrest affidavit said.
She said she was desperately trying to get to people and laid on her horn, blowing through three red lights.
Blumencranz was again arrested and reportedly admitted to chasing the women at speeds in excess of 100 mph.
He has once again bonded out.
"I can't believe it! What's next for him," Nottingham asked.
