A woman in Tennessee was arrested for stealing a wallet from the body of a crash victim who had just died, according to the Greenbier Police Department.
Brittney McCoy, 26, appeared in court Tuesday after she was charged on July 8 with theft, burglary, tampering with evidence, and fraudulent use of a credit card.
Police said McCoy stole the wallet from the body of Ronald Clinard,67, right after he was killed in a traffic accident in front of McCoy's house on July 1. McCoy allegedly used Clinard's credit card to buy beer, candy, and cigarettes from a convenience store while the crash scene investigation was ongoing.
McCoy was the first to person to reach the scene of the accident and allegedly committed the theft while Clinard "was incapacitated," police said in a press release.
“We see a lot of disgusting things as police officers, but this is absolutely one of the most disgusting crimes I have ever seen," Greenbrier Police Chief K. D. Smith said in a statement. "It is just completely a disrespectful and heartless act."
Smith told BuzzFeed News Wednesday, that this was the first time in his 32-year career in law enforcement that he had to deal with such a crime "being committed while the victim was still in the vehicle."
According to Smith, McCoy did not call 911 but a person she was with called to report the accident.
Smith said that when Clinard's daughter showed up at the scene of the crash, McCoy "actually asked the daughter of the victim if she needed anything from the store."
The daughter asked McCoy if she could get her something to drink, Smith said.
McCoy then allegedly used the credit card she had just stolen from Clinard to buy a six-pack of beer, cigarettes and candy for herself, and a soft drink for Clinard's daughter.
"I was standing there talking to the victim's daughter and [McCoy] gave her the soft drink that she had just purchased with her dead father's credit card," Smith told BuzzFeed News. "It was pretty cold-hearted."
Smith said that Clinard was already dead when McCoy stole the credit card from him. He said that an investigation was still ongoing and more people might be involved in the crime as a weapon belonging to Clinard was also stolen along with his wallet.