Dashcams have become vital due to scammers, who claim drivers hit them and then demand payment for their ‘injuries’.
While these types of incidents are commonly associated with countries overseas, one such attempt was recently caught on camera in Slidell, Louisiana.
In a Facebook post, the city’s police department said they were called to a gas station parking lot on September 3rd by 47-year-old Arthur Bates Jr., who claimed he was hit by a Tesla. When police arrived on the scene, the man allegedly told officers the driver of the Tesla backed into him and knocked him to the ground, causing back, leg and neck injuries. An ambulance was called and Bates went on to claim the driver fled the scene following the accident.
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Officers eventually tracked down the driver, who said Bates was trying to pull a scam. Luckily for them, the entire incident was caught on video and police quickly determined “Bates was lying and staged the entire event.”
As you can see in the clip, Bates approaches the Tesla from the side and apparently stands next to its bumper. As soon as the driver begins backing out, Bates jumps in front of the moving car.
Thankfully, the driver manages to stop before hitting Bates. Undeterred, Bates appears to slam his knee into the car before falling to the ground and casually resting his foot on the vehicle. The driver then gets out to talk to Bates, who is still laying on the ground, before leaving.
Given the video evidence, police confronted Bates who allegedly “admitted to fabricating the entire event.” He was subsequently arrested for False Swearing with the Intent to Cause an Emergency Response, which means he could now be on the hook for a fine of between $100-$1000 and up to five years of imprisonment.