MOUNT CARMEL - A Mount Carmel man is facing felony charges of motor vehicle insurance fraud after a borough police officer said he found evidence contradicting the defendant's Feb. 13 story of a hit-and-run accident.
Charles Phillip Oushick, 66, of 224 W. Cherry St., was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Hugh A. Jones Wednesday on felony counts of motor vehicle insurance fraud and criminal use of a communications device and misdemeanor counts of criminal attempt of theft by deception and making false reports.
Patrolman Matthew Dillman said in the criminal complaint he was called to Oushick's house at 4:10 p.m. for a hit and run. Oushick showed him a large scratch on his red Chevy Monte Carlo, which was parked outside his house.
Dillman said that despite Oushick insisting the accident had happened recently, the scratch had no paint transfers from the other vehicle and no paint had flaked onto the ground. The scratch also had minor rust spots. No tire tracks were visible on the ground near where Oushick said the accident had occurred, Dillman said.
Dillman said Oushick had called Progressive Insurance earlier that day and said he had heard a bang during the night and discovered his car struck. After Dillman visited the scene and questioned the evidence, Oushick canceled the claim.
Oushick was released on $10,000 unsecured bail.