Assuming that the newspaper account is correct, it's hard to propose leaving the scene of a crime when he wasn't aware/convinced that he had committed a crime.
I was surprised that it was only $200. I was more concerned that the article essentially gave a blueprint for a "what if" intentional attack: Let's see, this crashed through easily, this part sheared off, this other part jettisoned to this degree and landed here.
Certainly, he had to know someone. This type of thing doesn't resolve itself with such a caress of the thumb. Who knows? I'll update if more transpires.