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Police: Man impersonates priest, visits officer

July 15, 2009, 11:00 AM Post Comments
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A 26-year-old Philadelphia man suspected of impersonating a priest while visiting a wounded police officer was arrested on Monday. The man was charged with criminal trespass and false impersonating. Investigators said he posed as a Roman Catholic priest last month and entered a hospital's intensive care unit to visit Officer Richard Hayes.

Officials from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia said the one-time seminary student also attended funerals for slain officers and presented himself as part of the religious community but not a priest. Church officials call the matter deeply disturbing.

Hayes was struck by another vehicle during a traffic stop. He remains hospitalized.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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