In a classic case of ‘crash and cash,’ five residents from Southern California have found themselves in hot water. They’ve been accused and charged with insurance fraud for allegedly staging a vehicular crash in their quest for an insurance payout.
The incident unfolded in Ontario, California, where a woman claimed that she had fallen victim to a hit-and-run at an intersection. While she may have believed she could outsmart the officers who responded from the Ontario Police Department, authorities managed to obtain footage from a home security camera near the intersection.
The footage reveals that at 2:27 p.m. on September 6, 2021, an individual deliberately drove a silver SUV into the center of the intersection. Moments later, they can be seen exiting the car before a black SUV entered the frame, colliding with the side of the silver vehicle. Subsequently, the driver of the black vehicle also fled the scene.
Video CDI
An investigation into the crash was launched by the Inland Empire Automobile Insurance Fraud Task Force when witnesses said the woman who claimed to be a victim of a hit-and-run had walked over to the vehicles after the crash and had not been involved in the incident.
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Authorities apprehended all five individuals connected to the case. These suspects were identified by the California Department of Insurance (CDI) as Priscilla Carmona Arajo, 29, from Fontana; Juan Barajas, 25, from Upland; Gabriella Cervantes, 52, from Rancho Cucamonga; Roberto Carlos Macias, 40, from Chino; and Humberto Ortiz, 32, from Ontario.
Each of them faces a felony charge of insurance fraud for submitting insurance claims that had the potential to lead to payouts surpassing $30,000.
While local authorities stress that this occurrence spared innocent drivers, they urge anyone who suspects they might be the victim of a staged collision to request police involvement and thoroughly document the incident. This should include capturing detailed photos and videos. And if you want to report these suspicious activities, you can contact the California Department of Insurance at 800-927-4357 or visit them online at insurance.ca.gov.