4 face arson, insurance fraud charges after vehicle is burned in Somerset County, PA
By Ron Musselman Wednesday, July 27th 2016
JENNER TOWNSHIP, PA – State police in Somerset said four people are facing felony charges, including arson to commit insurance fraud, after burning a vehicle that had been reported stolen in Somerset County.
Chance Smith, Jeremy Scarlett, Jessica Nicklow and Kimberly Bowers have all been arraigned and released on $50,000 unsecured bail.
Scarlett and Nicklow are from Somerset, Smith is from Stoystown and Bowers is from Connellsville.
According to a criminal complaint, Bowers and Nicklow reported to police on April 7 that Bowers’ 2007 Subaru Forester had been stolen. Bowers said her son, Cody, had mechanical problems while driving home from work and pulled off the road along Route 219 near Route 30.
Police said Bowers made arrangements to have the vehicle towed at a later date. Bowers was later told by Nicklow that the Subaru was no longer there.
Bowers call 911 and reported her vehicle stolen, police said.
Police said they eventually located the vehicle less than nine hours later burned on Randolph Road in Jenner Township.
Two days later, Smith, Scarlett and Nicklow told police what happened to the vehicle. They said they pushed it off the road with another one, poured gasoline on the vehicle and set it on fire.
Police said Bowers admitted 11 days later that she couldn't afford repairs and had an outstanding loan, so she had the vehicle burned, then called her insurance company and started a claim.