La Habra Heights assistant fire chief accused of impersonating police officer

LOS ANGELES - An assistant fire chief for the city of La Habra Heights was arrested, accused of impersonating a peace officer.

35-year-old Timothy Peel was taken into custody Thursday in Whittier after a search warrant was served.

According to detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Peel used a 2020 white Chevy Silverado equipped with lights and siren to conduct the traffic stops and unlawfully detained people. 

Ivan Garcia, who worked at the shop who added the lights to the car, said he had no idea Peel was impersonating an officer. 

"When he came in he requested that we put in red and blue lights on a separate switch so no one would be able to tell he had red and blue lights. But he also had the red lights, which is ok to have as a fire department, so that was fine but then we put in other lights that were on a separate switch," Garcia told FOX 11.

"He said that he worked with the Marshals and that he would arrest people." 

Garcia says no one at the shop suspected anything. 

"It’s sickening knowing that I helped put something like that together and what he did, pulling over innocent people, acting like he was an officer. It’s just not right," Garcia added. 

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Peel is being held on $100,000 bail. 

Detectives believe there might be additional victims who were detained by Peel. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department at (213)-229-1700. You can remain anonymous by calling "Crime Stoppers" at  (800) 222-TIPS (8477 or by using the website lacrimestoppers.org.

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