RS Man Facing Charges of Insurance Fraud

A Roaring Spring man is facing charges of insurance fraud.

Elizick J. Brown, 22 of Roaring Spring, is being charged with third-degree felony charges of insurance fraud and theft by deception.

According to a report filed by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Insurance Fraud Section, at 7 a.m., Feb. 7, Brown logged onto the Progressive Insurance cellular telephone application and purchased a new automobile policy for his 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt, which then became effective at 7:18 a.m.

At 11:56 a.m., Feb. 8, Brown filed a claim through the app stating he was involved in a single vehicle accident at about 7:10 a.m., Feb. 7.

A Progressive representative conducted a recorded interview with Brown on Feb. 11. During the interview, Brown claimed to have purchased the insurance before leaving for work at about 6:30 a.m. on Feb. 7. While on his way to work, Brown claimed he hydroplaned and wrecked the car. A co-worker who was driving past the accident scene drove Brown to work, where he called his dad and the police.

Brown claimed that his dad picked him up from work and they returned to the scene of the accident.

When the insurance representative asked Brown if he had taken out the policy before the accident, Brown told the representative that he had taken the policy out at about 6 a.m. and the accident occurred at about 7:10 a.m. According to the Pennsylvania State Police report, the time of the crash was listed as 6:45 a.m. and police were dispatched at 7:05 a.m. and arrived on scene at about 7:15 a.m.

Brown told PSP that the accident at William Penn Road and Sarah Furnace Road in King Township, Bedford County, happened about one half hour before they arrived and had left the scene to go to work. Brown told PSP that he had been at work for a little while before returning to the crash scene.

The human resources manager at Brown’s place of employment claimed that Brown did not clock into work on Feb. 7 and used “leave” for the entire shift.

Brown was interviewed at his home and claimed that he owned the vehicle and drove the car to work. While on the way to work, he lost control of the car and caused a single vehicle accident rendering the car inoperable.

Brown claimed he panicked because he did not have car insurance. Brown admitted that he purchased the insurance policy after the accident occurred with hopes that the policy would cover the damages to the car. Brown also stated that he called and withdrew the claim.

Bail was set at $20,000 unsecured.

Brown is awaiting a preliminary hearing in front of Magisterial District Judge Andrew L. Blattenberger on a third-degree felony charge of insurance fraud and another third-degree felony charge of theft by deception.