Philly Cop Charged With Leaving Crash Scene, Insurance Fraud

Philadelphia police say a 14-year veteran of the force faces charges after she allegedly left the scene of a crash while off-duty and then filed a false insurance claim.

Only FOX 29 News cameras were there Wednesday when 42-year-old April Shaynick, of the 1st Police District, turned herself in to face charges.

Police say the crash occurred Aug. 9 at Summerdale Avenue and Van Kirk Street.

According to a news release from the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, Shaynick ran a stop sign in her 2004 Honda Civic and struck a 2003 Mazda Protégé that was occupied by a driver and a passenger.

The D.A.'s office says Shaynick never stopped to assess damage or ask if anyone was injured. The Mazda's driver suffered injuries to her right knee and had to be taken from the scene in an ambulance. 

There were multiple witnesses to the accident, including a pizza delivery driver who was able to snap a photo of Shaynick's license plate as she fled from the crash scene, prosecutors said.

Instead of reporting the accident, Shaynick went home and filed a false report to Allstate Insurance Company the next day, the D.A.'s office says. In the claim she stated that her car was parked unattended on Oxford Avenue on Aug. 10, she was inside her house and heard a crash outside.

Shaynick is also accused of fraudulently providing a police report that she wrote herself to the insurance company, and she was paid over $4,000 to have her car repaired before the discovery was made as to how the damage actually occurred.

After the D.A. and Internal Affairs investigated, Shaynick was charged with insurance fraud, theft by deception, conspiracy and related offenses.

Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey has suspended Shaynick for 30 days with the intent to dismiss, according to a news release.