A West Newton man who reported his car was stolen earlier this month in Mt. Pleasant now is charged with arson, insurance fraud and making false reports, according to court records.
Donald E. Cassidy, 54, reported about 8 a.m. Feb. 15 that his vehicle was stolen from Rumbaugh Avenue in Mt. Pleasant, according to court documents.
Five days later, state police Trooper Troy Faulk said Cassidy’s burned out car was located about three miles away in the woods off White Bridge Road in Mt. Pleasant Township. Troopers said the fire was intentionally set.
“The vehicle was set on fire and was unrecognizable,” Faulk reported.
Faulk said investigators were only able to identify the car as Cassidy’s by matching the vehicle identification number.
Faulk said troopers confiscated Cassidy’s cell phone on a search warrant during the investigation.
“Cassidy’s Google search history on his phone included a search ‘how to set your car on fire and make it look like an accident’,” Faulk reported in court documents.
State police charged Cassidy with arson, insurance fraud, making false reports and risking a catastrophe.
A hearing date has not been scheduled.
Cassidy could not be reached for comment. He did not have an attorney listed in court documents.
According to on-line court documents, in 2006 Cassidy pleaded guilty to a charge of operating an illegal numbers lottery operation filed by North Huntingdon police and was sentenced to two years probation.
