
LEE COUNTY
You use a accredited corporation to repair your home, but rather, the contractor triggers far more injury – and an affidavit reveals an worker did the hurt on purpose.
The charging document states the employee, TJ McCowan, was caught in the act.
The situation is so fresh new that when WINK Information referred to as McCowan, he basically stated he didn’t know something about any rates filed versus him, but paperwork maps out the case.
The point out has witness testimony and movie proof of the suspected criminal offense in progress.
It started Aug. 13, 2020, at 6:47 a.m. exterior of the Tara Woods local community in North Fort Myers. Citizens House Coverage investigator Jesus Gonzalez took out his digicam and begun rolling as Terry James McCowan II, from Marlin Construction, arrived. It was the dude Citizens experienced been searching for.
In accordance to the affidavit, “Citizens had a preceding suspicious declare with Marlin with the allegation that an staff, TJ McCowan, with Marlin was allegedly detrimental roofing elements and exaggerating the hurt prior to the adjuster’s arrival.”
Investigator Gonzalez’s digital camera captured McCowan inspecting Richard Osbourne’s roof. Osbourne hired Marlin and submitted a complaint with Citizens, supplying the insurance policy organization the opening it wanted to keep track of McCowan.
At 9:53 a.m., “McCowan was witnessed making use of the instrument to pry and lift a shingle. McCowan selected several other shingles, pulled them up and manipulated them,” the affidavit states.
That exact same day, at 11:30 a.m., Citizens despatched an adjuster to the roof and found the new problems.
Osbourne later on told a detective with the Office of Financial Providers, “At that point, I figured I was in the center of an investigation.”
That investigation went on for months.
On Could 25, a former Marlin employee informed detectives that other staff gave McCowan thorough instructions on acquiring a roof completely ready.
“By leading to more than enough harm that they qualify for a new roof,” together with to “Make sure there is no Ring doorbell cameras or any neighbors exterior when you’re executing it.”
WINK News spoke with McCowan, who stated he “had no concept a demand had been submitted against him.”
WINK News manufactured quite a few other calls, which includes to Marlin Roofing. A secretary took a message, inquiring why we needed to chat with an individual, but no a single ever called us back again.
Citizens Insurance coverage explained no one particular was accessible to comment, and Richard Osbourne, the owner of the dwelling with the harmed roof, stated he experienced no comment.
The Point out Attorney’s Office advised us they have nothing at all to say other than McCowan’s arraignment on a felony mischief charge is set for early this thirty day period.