Chatham (May 13, 2020) – Chatham-Kent police charged a 55-year-old man for obstruction of police and fraud because he allegedly told officers his wife had been diagnosed with COVID-19 although it was not true. Police believe that he tried to interfere with their investigation into his wife’s car accident. On May 11, the man was arrested and charged with obstruct police, mischief, and fraud under $5,000 after the authorities found out that his wife had not tested positive for COVID-19.
Chatham-Kent police announced in a press release on May 12 that they laid charges against a man for obstruction of police and fraud. He is accused of claiming that his wife had been diagnosed with COVID-19 to police officers during an investigation to interfere with the probe.
Fraud charges over claim wife had Coronavirus
Last month, the Chatham-Kent police responded to a collision on John Street in Chatham. The driver was a 55-year-old woman who collided with a parked car. She was issued a three-day license suspension following a roadside test.
While the police were dealing with the woman, her husband told the officers that she had been diagnosed with COVID-19 by her family physician. Subsequently, both officers who were in direct contact with the woman were immediately relieved of their duties and advised to self-isolate until further notice. The cruiser and the two portable radios were taken out of service due to the probability of contamination with the virus until they were cleaned and disinfected.
Obstruction of a police officer
The police discovered that the woman had not tested positive for COVID-19 and subsequently laid charges against her 55-year-old husband. On May 11, the Chatham man has been arrested and charged with obstructing police, mischief, and fraud under $5,000.
The police believe that he falsely claimed his wife had Coronavirus since he was trying to interfere with the investigation. He has been released and is scheduled to appear in court on August 7.
Read more: OPP charge 30-year-old Stratford woman with fraud, obstructing a peace officer
The officers who were relieved of their duties due to the probability of contamination with the virus, were able to return to work seven days later.
