[MRM]

The fraud maneuver of cutting someone off and throwing in the brakes is called the swoop and squat. It’s often done at highway speeds and usually includes a confederate pacing the target car to pin it in its lane when the other car cuts it off and throws on its brakes. The scam is that the vehicle that cut off the target is filed with passengers, all of whom claim serious injuries. Sometimes the companion car will stop and offer a statement claiming the target car was at fault. But to run the scam the cars need to stop at the scene of the accident and make a police report so they can make a claim against the target car’s insurance. It never involves a hit and run. There are insurance scams that involve hit and run claims, but those claims involve fake accidents and the report of a phantom driver. There’s no need to have an actual accident when the fraudster makes a hit and run claim. Sometimes they use a car that had previous damage repeatedly until someone notices.

There are many reasons why someone who caused an accident would try to run. Anything from having been drinking to just being scared and panicking to running because he didn’t want to get in trouble and thought he could get away with it. It’s hard to tell what was going on in the guy’s mind when he ran.

It’s poetic justice that he left his license plate behind and it’s great news that you were able to track him down and get his insurance company to pay up. Good work.