Jasper man cited after vehicle found with police lights, radio

Indiana State Police cited a Jasper man after a citizen tip led investigators to a black 2016 Ford Explorer fitted with red and blue lights and a police radio. Trooper Kayla Denk-Mundy issued the citation Tuesday, June 23, and state police said they had no reports that the driver had actually impersonated a law enforcement officer.

That detail matters in Indiana because red and blue lights are reserved for law-enforcement vehicles, and drivers must yield to authorized emergency vehicles showing alternately flashing red, red and white or red and blue lights. State law also draws lines for other responders: volunteer firefighters may use blue lights on privately owned vehicles while en route to an emergency scene or the fire station, and certain EMT and EMS-related vehicles can use green lights only with a written permit from the director of the Indiana State Emergency Management Agency.

In Dubois County, where motorists regularly encounter deputies, troopers, volunteer firefighters, EMS units, utility trucks and construction crews, the color code is part of everyday road safety. A police-style radio inside a private SUV can deepen concern even when officers do not accuse the driver of acting as an officer, because it adds to the appearance of official authority on local roads.

State police used the case to remind residents to stay alert during traffic stops or roadside encounters and to avoid stopping or following a vehicle that appears to be using emergency-style lights improperly. The safest response is to note the vehicle description, including the make, model, color and plate if possible, and pass that information to authorities.

Indiana State Police accepts complaints in person, by mail, by phone, fax, email and anonymously for people who suspect misconduct or improper use of authority. The question of what colors belong on emergency vehicles remains active at the Statehouse as well: in 2025, Senate Bill 124 would have allowed some firefighting apparatus to use red and blue lights, but the bill digest said current law allows red or red and white lights.