ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – An Orange County firefighter is now out of jail, but on unpaid leave after being accused of impersonating an officer and following another driver.
The victim said he was getting off State Road 408 near East Colonial Drive Sunday and he tried to make a U-turn, when he said 28-year-old Anthony Woods cut him off. The victim told investigators Woods ended up following him to the Country Place subdivision in east Orange County.
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The report said it was near Fox Meadow Court where Woods exited his car with a firearm in his hand. He told the victim “you almost hit me and I’m a police officer/firefighter.” The victim, in fear of being shot, drove off and called 911, according to the report.
Woods though gave a different story initially, denying exiting his car or brandishing any weapons. He told deputies the victim was driving recklessly and almost hit multiple cars.
The report showed he later confessed to getting out of his car with a gun.
When asked why Wood said he was an officer, he said, “I meant first responder/firefighter. I was talking too quickly, that was my fault.”
Orange County fire released Woods’ prior disciplinary records. It shows in part that he was given counseling last April for leaving the training grounds as a recruit on his lunch break while not wearing his proper uniform. He was also given a verbal warning for a minor vehicle accident this April while driving a rescue vehicle.
Our calls and messages to a listed number for Woods have not been returned. Woods has been with Orange County Fire Rescue since March of last year. He’s assigned to fire station 71.
The incident report also says Woods was suspected of aggravated assault with a firearm in a road rage incident with a gun in 2019 in Miramar, Florida.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office shared these tips with News 6 when asked how people can verify if they’re encountering a real law enforcement officer:
“While the type of encounter with a law enforcement may vary (like a traffic stop or consensual encounter), a person can always ask the officer for their name and badge/ID number if they are in uniform. If they are dressed down like some of our detectives, they should have their IDs and badges prominently displayed around their necks or on their belts. If a person is still hesitant, they can always call 911 or the non-emergency line to confirm the officer is who they say they are with the dispatcher.”