Saxonburg woman faces forgery charges in relation to fraudulent UPMC fax
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Police have accused a Saxonburg woman of forging information from a UPMC physician to get out of a scheduled court appearance.
Danielle McWilliams, 49, was charged with forgery and identity theft after, police say, she sent a fake fax that she attempted to make look like it came from UPMC St. Margaret hospital, near Aspinwall, to the office of District Judge Tom Swan.
She is scheduled for a preliminary hearing March 27 before Swan.
The fax was received Jan. 18, when McWilliams was scheduled for a court hearing on two traffic citations, according to a criminal complaint.
On Jan. 17, a Hampton police officer was at Swan’s office when he received a tip about a suspicious call regarding McWilliams’ hearing, police said. A female caller was trying to get McWilliams’ case postponed, but the request was denied, the complaint said.
On the day of the hearing, Swan told police about a suspicious fax his office received, appearing to be from a physician at UPMC St. Margaret, police said.
A portion of the fax was handwritten and said McWilliams was hospitalized and would remain at the Pittsburgh facility until Jan. 28, according to the complaint.
Hampton police investigated and determined the fax was sent from a Staples office supply store, the complaint said.
Emergency room physicians at UPMC St. Margaret confirmed the fax was fraudulent, police said.
When police interviewed McWilliams by phone, she blamed the incident on her daughter before admitting she had conducted the scam, the complaint said.
She told police that when she tried to postpone the hearing by phone, Swan’s secretary advised her she would need paperwork from a doctor or hospital to get a postponement.