Johnstown man accused of lying about damage, tried to claim $16k from insurance

CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A Johnstown man is accused of lying to his insurance agency by saying that a car struck his home and damaged a wall before filing a claim.

Peter O’Hara-Diaz, 54, is facing charges after he allegedly filed a fake police report saying that an SUV struck his home, damaged a retaining wall, and caused water damage, according to a criminal complaint. On Nov. 12, 2024, O’Hara-Diaz filed a claim through Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company that claimed a vehicle struck his home, but an investigator wrote that “all of the conditions that have been claimed are not consistent with any recent vehicle impact or other manner of sudden accidental damage.”

The claim that he tried to file was for $16,000. According to the affidavit, early in 2024, the insurance company had conducted an inspection of O’Hara-Diaz’s home and found that there were several issues that needed corrective action. Photos taken during that inspection included foundational damage to the area of the home that he later tried to claim was damaged by a vehicle hitting it, according to the complaint.

The insurance company told O’Hara-Diaz that he needed to fix the issues, and when they received no response after several months, they issued a notice of non-renewal for his insurance policy on Oct. 24. Then on Nov. 12, he filed the claim alleging that a vehicle hit and damaged a retaining wall outside his home and that the damage allowed water to infiltrate his home and caused further damage to his basement.

On Nov. 15, representatives on behalf of the insurance company went to the home to take pictures of the damage and assess the claim. They determined that the damages were old and had happened prior to O’Hara-Diaz purchasing the home. According to the complaint, they also found photos from the home listing in 2023 that showed the damage he was trying to claim as new.

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