It's never a good idea to lie to police, but lying to officers about a positive COVID-19 test can get you in even more trouble.
Chatham-Kent police said a 55-year-old Chatham man is learning that the hard way following a crash in Chatham last month.
Police said the investigation started when officers responded to a report of a collision on John Street in Chatham where a driver had hit a parked car.
Investigators said the woman who was behind the wheel at the time -- a 55-year-old woman -- was given a roadside test and issued a three-day license suspension. While police were dealing with the woman, her husband allegedly told officers that she had been diagnosed with COVID-19 by her family physician.
After hearing that, both officers who responded were immediately relieved of their duties and advised to self-isolate until further notice. A police cruiser and two portable radios were also taken out of service because they could have been contaminated with COVID-19. The cruiser had to be cleaned and disinfected before it was used again on the front line.
Police believed that the man made the statement about his wife in order to alter their investigation, though, and further investigation showed that the woman had not tested positive for COVID-19.
As a result, the officers who were self-isolating were able to return to work seven days later.
A 55-year-old Chatham man was arrested in connection with the case on Monday and charged with obstructing police, mischief, and fraud. He was later released with conditions and a future court date.