A Mount Vernon man is in trouble with the law after police say he attempted to defraud an insurance company by obtaining collision insurance after he was involved in an accident and then falsifying the time the accident actually occurred.

22 year old Jeffrey Lincoln is accused of filing a claim for $7,000 worth of repairs under a collision insurance policy that he obtained several hours after he was involved in an accident on the Hutchinson River Parkway in Mount Vernon.

Cops say shortly after the accident, Lincoln used a mobile phone to go online and upgrade his insurance policy from liability insurance-only to a comprehensive package that included collision coverage with the Esurance Insurance Company.

Lincoln was arrested Monday and charged with 3rd Degree Attempted Grand Larceny and 1st Degree Identity Theft, both felonies.

Police say the accident occurred at 11:30 a.m. on January 19, 2010 on the Hutchinson River Parkway near Sandford Boulevard. Officials say Lincoln lost control of his 1998 Audi A-6 and struck a guardrail. No other cars were involved and there were no injuries. It was at that time, police allege, Lincoln gave an officer false identification and an accident report was prepared with the driver identified uner the false name.

Officials say investigators have taken nearly a year to make the arrest because Lincoln has moved several times since last April. 

He was arraigned in Mount Vernon City Court yesterday. Bail was set at $1,500.