An Elmdwood Park man has been charged with impersonating a police officer after he fired a gun and flashed a badge at a Chicago gas station Thursday, Chicago police said this morning.
Police answering a call of a man with a gun at a gas station in the 900 block of North Pulaski Road found Nicholas Rada, 29, sitting in a car with two flat tires, a Ruger handgun in his pocket and a gold badge on his car console, said Police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli.
A security guard at the gas station told police that Rada had fired his gun when another man--perhaps homeless--approached him. He then allegedly pulled out the badge and announced he was a police officer, Mirabelli said. The incident occurred about 5:30 a.m.
Rada, of the 1700 block of North 77th Avenue in Elmwood Park, has been charged with reckless discharge of a firearm, impersonating an officer and possession of cocaine, Mirabelli said.
