A Butler County man faces a hearing next month on felony insurance fraud charges stemming from a two-vehicle collision in Butler last year.

Dale E. Bergbigler, 48, of Washington Township is accused of getting insurance on his car less than three hours after he caused the Sept. 4 crash that injured the other driver.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General on April 22 charged Bergbigler following an investigation by its Insurance Fraud Section. He was later arraigned on charges of insurance fraud and attempted theft by deception, and released on his own recognizance.

A preliminary hearing is May 11 at the office of District Judge Pete Shaffer.

Investigators said Bergbigler was driving on Shore Street about 10:30 a.m. Sept. 4 when he made an improper left turn, hitting the other vehicle driven by Kevin Eckenrode, who had been stopped at a stop sign.

Bergbigler admitted the accident was his fault, and he provided the other driver with a handwritten note listing personal and insurance information, including a policy number and effective dates.

Police were not called to the accident that caused an estimated $3,800 in damage to Eckenrode’s vehicle.

Eckenrode went home but later drove to Butler Memorial Hospital after feeling pain in his neck and back, according to court documents.

After being treated and released, he called his insurance company to report the accident.

Eckenrode also called the suspect’s insurance company to make a claim. That’s when he learned that Bergbigler’s policy had previously been canceled.

But by then, documents said, Bergbigler had already gotten a new policy with a different insurance company. He got the policy at 1:25 p.m.

That same evening Bergbigler also submitted a claim, stating he was involved in an accident that day between 5 and 6 p.m.

Investigators eventually unraveled the suspected fraud and interviewed Bergbigler Feb. 4.

“(The defendant) stated that he was aware at the time he was making the claim with the (new) insurance company that he did not have coverage at the time of the accident,” documents said.

The Butler Eagle could not reach Bergbigler for comment.