A Muncy Township man was arrested Tuesday morning on felony arson and insurance fraud charges for allegedly setting fire to his 1970 Plymouth Barricuda in the area of South Reach Road during the early morning hours of March 27, city police said.
Investigators said after initially denying he had anything to do with the fire, Robert A. Passero, 61, since has admitted that he drove the classic car to Williamsport and set it ablaze with gasoline.
The fire destroyed the car, which was discovered later that afternoon, abandoned down a steep embankment along South Reach Road, police said.
Article Photos
PHILIP A. HOLMES/Sun-Gazette
This is a burned-out 1970 Plymouth Barricuda investigators said was torched over an embankment along South Reach Road in late March. On Tuesday, police charged the owner with allegedly setting the fire
Passero, 61, of 1903 Pond Road, called Muncy Township police later that morning to report that the vehicle had been stolen.
City police said Passero had the car insured for $150,000 and had hoped to collect the insurance.
At the early stage of the investigation, Passero actually implicated a former employee in the crime, police said.
In addition to the felony charges, Passero faces two misdemeanor counts of false reports to law enforcement. Following his arraignment before District Judge James G. Carn, he was released on $35,000 bail.
