Police: Man demanded cops solve ‘theft’ case, so they arrested him [The York Dispatch, Pa.]

Oct. 10--An East Prospect man insisted state troopers figure out who was driving his SUV early New Year's Day 2011 when it was involved in a hit-and-run crash a block from his home, police said.

Nearly three years later, troopers fulfilled Chad Michael Altland's demand, according to police.

But Altland apparently should have heeded the old adage "be careful what you wish for," because the investigation led squarely back to him, according to police.

As part of his investigation, Trooper Justin Dembowski sent the airbag from Altland's allegedly stolen 1995 Ford Explorer to a state crime lab. Technicians found saliva on it and extracted DNA, charging documents state.

In December, the crime lab determined DNA from the saliva sample matched Altland's DNA, according to his arrest affidavit.

"The probability of the DNA sample being from anyone else is 1 in 540 quintillion from the Caucasian population," the affidavit states.

The charges: Altland, 28, of 35 W. Maple St., will be charged with felony insurance fraud, making a false report and obstructing the administration of law, according to court records.

He has not yet been arraigned on the charges, according to the office of District Judge John H. Fishel.

Altland is currently at SCI Benner, a state prison in Centre County.

He is serving a two- to 10-year sentence for involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child less than 16 years old, as well as related offenses.

A York County jury found Altland

guilty of child molestation in September 2012, records state.

The crash: Altland's SUV crashed into a parked vehicle in the first block of North Main Street in East Prospect about 5 a.m.Jan. 1, 2011. The driver had fled the scene.

A short time later, troopers visited Altland -- the registered owner of the SUV -- at his home about a block away, police said.

"Altland was uncooperative and evasive," Dembowski wrote in the affidavit. "Altland denied driving the vehicle and insisted that his vehicle must have been stolen from his driveway. ... Altland insisted that the stolen vehicle be investigated to the fullest extent."

On Jan. 20, 2011, Altland reported the crash and alleged vehicle theft to his insurance company.

He could not be reached for comment.

Shawn Curry, the attorney who defended Altland in the child-molestation trial, declined comment, saying he does not represent Altland on the insurance-fraud charges.

-- Reach Liz Evans Scolforo at [email protected].

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