Our Crime Fail is a hit and run driver arrested this week after her boyfriend initially took responsibility for the accident. Once the true nature of the crime was revealed, the initially protective partner recanted, implicating his girlfriend and setting up a Valentine’s Day arrest. Maybe that’s what Meatloaf was referring to in his song “Anything for Love” when he said he won’t do that- take the blame for someone else’s crime.

On January 22nd at 1:21 a.m. Deputy R.T. Philippsen responded to a hit and run accident in Somerset Landing subdivision. The victim’s unoccupied Chevy Cruze was struck in front of the home causing significant damage. The suspect vehicle limped away, but left behind identifiable debris at the scene. The victim located a lower fender trim piece which belonged on a Volkswagen Atlas.

The next day, as luck would have it, Deputy W.M. Isenberg responded to an abandoned vehicle on Castlebury Court, approximately two miles from the hit and run. As you may have guessed, he was greeted with a Volkswagen Atlas with damage consistent with the earlier hit and run.

Deputy Philippsen followed up with the registered owner of the Volkswagen last week, and the owner initially took responsibility for the damage. He relayed he had been sideswiped and the other driver fled the scene. At this point Deputy Philippsen explained the severity of the accident and the actual circumstances of the crash. This caused the owner to change his tune. The owner advised he was trying to protect his girlfriend, but didn’t realize she had committed a crime.

Deputy Philippsen identified the hit and run driver as Shianne Harrison, 28, of Stafford. She was arrested on Valentine’s Day for hit and run and released by the magistrate on an unsecure bond.

Nice detective work by the victim identifying the fender piece left at the scene.