When officers arrived, Bernardo was inside a vehicle at the gas pumps and immediately claimed he was a Richmond Police officer. Deputies say he was acting erratically and was quickly detained while they spoke with the victim.

The woman reported that she and her husband had accepted a ride from Bernardo in Richmond. She said Bernardo told her husband he needed power steering fluid, and when her husband went inside a store, Bernardo sped away with her still inside the vehicle.

According to the citation, the woman said Bernardo claimed he had guns, pulled her hair, was physically aggressive, touched her sexually, and refused to let her out despite her repeated pleas.

Deputies say Bernardo later told them he was “helping” the woman by removing her from what he believed was an abusive situation and claimed he was taking her to Berea for insulin. He refused a blood test but admitted three separate times that he had “just smoked pot,” according to the report.

Bernardo is charged with:

• Kidnapping an adult

• First-degree unlawful imprisonment

• Impersonating a peace officer

• Operating a motor vehicle under the influence

• First-degree sexual abuse

• First-degree wanton endangerment

• Menacing

• Fourth-degree assault (no visible injury)

He remains in custody as the investigation continues.

This report was compiled using information gathered from law enforcement statements, official press releases, and publicly available news sources.

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