AL man accused of burying truck to collect insurance faces felony charges
By Hal Scheurich
Click here for updates on this story
TIBBIE, Alabama (WALA) — Warrants have now been issued for the arrest of a man Washington County investigators said buried his truck but reported it stolen to collect insurance. The truck was dug up Thursday, April 7, 2022 but deputies still don’t know where the suspect is.
“The insurance company paid out to him around twenty-two thousand dollars,” said Washington County Sheriff, Richard Stringer. The vehicle has been buried for six years.”
The owner of the 2006 Hummer H2 reported it stolen from the Sunflower area in 2016. Investigators with Washington County and the state unearthed it on a rural farm last week. Now the owner, Bruce Eugene Parnell faces several charges. They include two for felony insurance.
The Hummer was unrecognizable after being dug out of several feet of mud. Sheriff Stringer said he’s never seen a case quite like this one, recovering a vehicle after being buried. So, how did they get back on the trail of such a cold case?
“We have been looking for this vehicle for now, several months. We got a few tips back a few months ago and we’ve just been working on in in time that was allowed to us and we felt sure that we had the information that we needed,” Stringer explained.
There was little doubt once white paint showed through the mud during the dig. Serial numbers on a door panel confirmed the suspicions and warrants were drawn up.
Washington County investigators said Parnell has ties to the property where the Hummer was found buried. Now, investigators are looking into multiple other insurance claims they said Parnell filed over the years to see if they’re legitimate. If you know Bruce Eugene Parnell’s whereabouts, call the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
