Louisiana State Police detectives with the Insurance Fraud / Auto Theft Unit assigned to the Lafayette Field Office arrested five people for violations of Louisiana insurance fraud laws, according to a news release from State Police Troop I.
The initial investigation revealed in December 2015, a group of five people participated in a staged vehicle crash involving a passenger car and a rental vehicle near Ville Platte, the news release stated.
The staged crash involved five adults and three children between the ages of 9 and 15, police said. The goal of the staged crash was to generate fraudulent insurance claims for intentionally damaged property and fake bodily injuries, police stated.
At the conclusion of the investigation, State Police Detectives obtained arrest warrants on charges of insurance fraud, filing a false police report, and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.
On July 23, State Police detectives arrested the following suspects and booked them into the Evangeline Parish Jail:
— Winston Dupre, 66, of Pollock; charged with insurance fraud, filing false public records.
— Sheba Williams, 32 of Opelousas; charged with insurance fraud, filing false public records and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.
— Lucinda Williams, 26, of Ville Platte; charged with insurance fraud.
— Delores Bias, 24, of Eunice; charged with insurance fraud.
— Melanie Malveaux, 36, from Mamou; charged with insurance fraud, contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.
Anyone having information concerning persons staging vehicle crashes, or committing other forms of insurance fraud, should contact the Louisiana State Police Insurance Fraud / Auto Theft Unit at 225-925-3701 or insurance.fraud.unit@dps.la.gov.
