"Cougar" Attack Called Hoax

The PA Game Commission has, after testing the evidence, been unable to find anything that points to a cougar as the animal that allegedly jumped a Lancaster County man. They think it is a hoax.

Now, it may be a hoax, or it may be misidentification/exaggeration by fear. This never did sound like a cougar incident to me, but I am concerned about the hoax charge (and the statement that they may file charges against the man) -- if it was not a deliberate hoax, this may create further impediment for future potential witnesses. (News source.)