Florida Police Officer Arrested on Charges of Insurance Fraud

Florida state law enforcement officials announced they arrested a police officer and another man for allegedly conspiring to defraud an insurer by purposely destroying a pleasure boat.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said they arrested Melbourne Police Department Sergeant Brian Wical on charges of arson and filing a false and fraudulent police report and insurance claim.

According to investigators, in September 2013, Wical reported that his 2008 Stratas boat was stolen from his home in Palm Bay, Florida. The boat was later found having been burned and destroyed. The boat was valued at $40,000 and Wical collected $45,000 from his insurance claim.

Investigators said that Wical was assisted by another former Melbourne police officer, James Roy Hartman, who was also charged with arson and filing a false insurance claim.

Wical and Hartman turned themselves into authorities on March 18 and were released on their own recognizance, according to officials.