Chicago Sun-Times
CHICAGO — A west suburban man was accused of pretending to be a police officer, firing a gun at a West Side gas station and having cocaine in his vehicle.
Nicholas Rada, told arresting officers he was a funeral director, works for a state representative, was related to a county judge and was the son of a suburban police officer, police said.
Rada, 29, of the 1700 block of North 77th Avenue in Elmwood Park, was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm, false impersonation of a peace officer, possession of a controlled substance and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, according to Chicago Police.
About 5:30 a.m. Thursday, Rada was behind the wheel of a white Lexus GS300, which he pulled into a Citgo gas station at 901 N. Pulaski Rd. with two flat tires, police said.
He told a station security guard he was a police officer and then waited inside the disabled Lexus for assistance. But when someone began asking if he needed help, he took out a handgun and fired one shot into the air, police said.
Rada allegedly told police he fired the gun to “scare” away a person who was “harassing’’ him, police said.
The guard called 911, telling dispatchers a police officer needed help, but when the real police got to the scene, they saw Rada trying to hide an Elmwood Park police badge that had been on the console of the car, police said.
A handgun was recovered in Rada’s pocket and cocaine was found inside the car, police said. Rada told police the star belonged to his father, who had passed away but was an Elmwood Park officer.
He was arrested without incident.
Copyright 2011 Chicago Sun-Times