A Lafayette man who allegedly lit a car on fire for insurance proceeds surrendered to authorities Tuesday. 

34-year-old Courtney Crouchet was charged with arson with intent to defraud and booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center, according to the Lafayette Fire Department Spokesperson Alton Trahan. 

In the early morning hours of January 20, firefighters responded to a vehicle fire in the 500 block of Saucier Parkway, in Deballion Park.

When firefighters arrived, they found a vehicle that was fully involved and abandoned and after extinguishing the fire, the owner of the vehicle was unable to be determined, Trahan said. 

The vehicle when then reported stolen by Crouchet, the boyfriend of the owner, and after two months of investigating, it was determined that the vehicle was intentionally set on fire for insurance fraud.

Additionally, investigators say they believe the vehicle was falsely reported stolen and moved to the location where it was torched.

Following Crouchet’s arrest, an active warrant was placed for 31-year-old Teralyn Broussard, the vehicle’s owner and Crouchet’s girlfriend, Trahan said.  

Both have been charged with arson with intent to defraud.

In addition, Crouchet was charged with criminal mischief for filing a false police report, Trahan said. 

Investigators also say they believe others may have been involved in the vehicle fire and are asking anyone with information to contact the Lafayette Fire Department.