Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Charges filed against 3 in ATV accident
SOUTH COATESVILLE » Three people face criminal charges for allegedly leading police on “a wild goose chase” after falsely reporting a hit and run accident in August, according to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office.
Officials said 22-yearold Scott Albee Jr. was operating an ATV while car- rying a passenger on the back when he crashed into a guardrail on Aug. 27 on Woodward Road near Goosetown Road. Albee suffered serious injuries in the crash. His passenger, Brittany Trego, suffered a fractured pelvis, back, and other serious injuries, officials said.
After the crash two other people who were also riding ATVs in the area, 22-yearold Christopher Johnson and Amanda Ottersen, 23, fendants Johnson and Ottersen, covering up a significant crime and sending the police on a wild goose chase, also is inexcusable. The police have a hard enough job to do without being actively misled. The defendants made a bad situation much worse, and now they will suffer the criminal consequences,” said District Attorney Tom Hogan.
Following the crash local police and the Chester County Detectives released drove Albee and Trego to a nearby hospital. After leaving the hospital they returned to the crash site and concealed the damaged ATV and other evidence of the accident, officials said. Later they told police that the pair had been struck from behind by an unknown vehicle while walking on Woodward Road.
“This DUI-related crash was extremely serious and will be dealt with appropriately. The conduct of the de- the details of the incident and asked for any witnesses to come forward. As Albee is the son of a Chester County police officer, the Chester County Fraternal Order of Police also issued a substantial reward for information leading to an arrest.
When no tips surfaced, investigators began to grow suspicious. Later, officials said, they received reports that Johnson and Ottersen had lied about the crash in an effort to protect Albee from driving under the influence charges. Albee had a blood-alcohol content of .147 at the time of the crash, officials said.
Investigators interviewed both Albee and Trego once they recovered enough to speak, officials said. During those interviews both fully cooperated with investigators and confirmed that there was no hit and run crash. Both indicated that they were injured when Albee crashed the ATV, officials said.
Albee and Johnson both reside in the 1500 block of Oak Street in Coatesville. Ottersen resides in the 600 block of Summit House in West Chester, officials said.
Albee was charged with driving under the influence, aggravated assault by motor vehicle while DUI, and related charges. Johnson and Ottersen were both charged with making false reports to law enforcement and criminal conspiracy, officials said.
The case was investigated by the Chester County Detectives and South Coatesville Police Department. Anybody with information should contact the Chester County Detectives at 610-344-6866.