WDEF News 12

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A Lookout Mountain Georgia woman changes from victim to suspect.

Walker County investigators charged Crystal Snider with making a false report of a rape.

You probably remember the story.

She pointed the finger at two men posing as copsAriel Strickland, Flinstone Georgia Resident, "It was kind of scary to me."

It was a disturbing story. One that alarmed people in the Flintstone, Georgia area.

Strickland, "She said that two guys were dressed up as cops."

A woman reports being pulled over and raped at gunpoint on Nick a Jack road by two men posing as police officers.

Sheriff Steve Wilson, Walker County, "We immediately began investigating that crime as reported and for the past two weeks we've been searching for the truth."

Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson says the truth was not good.

Sheriff Wilson, "The reported victim has now been charged with reporting a false crime."

He says Crystal Snider made the whole thing up.

Sheriff Wilson, "It's very alarming to me. I'm very concerned that someone would do this."

Sheriff Wilson says the charge, one count of making a false police report doesn't reflect the gravity of the crime.

Sheriff Wilson, "Not only was it serious to report it to law enforcement but to fabricate the story and it caused many people to be frightened who live in that area. It caused people to become upset and afraid to go out."

And he says Snider's story kept three detectives busy for weeks.

Sheriff Wilson, "Not only man hours but the price of fuel today, we were running up and down the highway looking for this person so there was a lot of tax dollars spent unnecessarily because of a false report."

As for a motive, investigators won't release it.

Strickland, "It wasn't right."

For Flinstone's Ariel Strickland, there's no excuse for lying about such a serious crime.

Strickland, "It's kind of hard for me because I mean I hear some of my friends talking about them getting through it. It kind of hurts them because she don't know what they've been through."

Snider was released on bond. She's due in Walker County State Court June 7th.

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