PA Cop Charged with Fraud, Theft After Hit-and-Run

When a car accident occurs, most people would call the police and expect an officer to later drive out to the scene. This story, however, involves an officer getting in an accident and then leaving the scene.

According to philly.com, the cop, April Shaynick, 42, fled the scene of an accident and later filed a false insurance claim about it. Prosecutors note that her plan was partly thwarted by an observant pizza delivery man who took a picture of her license plate as she drove away.

Shaynick was charged with insurance fraud, theft, false reports to law enforcement and other related offenses due to the crash that took place on August 9^th.

Prosecutors say that Shaynick, a 14-year veteran of the police department, was in her Honda Civic when she ran a stop sign and hit a Mazda Protégé occupied by two people.

The Philadelphia DA’s Office says Shaynick then took off from the crash without stopping to check on the cars occupants or see if she caused any damage. One of the people in the Protégé was taken to the hospital for injuries to her knee.

Not only did several people witness the accident, but an observant pizza delivery driver was able to snap that license plate photo as she drove away.

The day after the accident, Shaynick allegedly called her insurance company and reported that her car had been hit while it was parked outside of her house. She even went as far as to file a false police report she wrote herself and forwarded it along to the insurance company, which paid out $4,000 to have her car fixed, prosecutors said.

Shaynick turned herself in on December 5^th and has been suspended for 30 days with the intent to dismiss.