Three Arrested for Staging Motor Vehicle Accident Insurance Scam
MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced on October 1, 2015, the arrest of three individuals involved in an insurance scam. The defendants allegedly staged a motor vehicle accident in Levittown back in September 2013.
The individuals arrested were Erin Clyne, 29, of Rockville Center; Tiffany Dertinger, 22, of Massapequa; and Michael Lopez, 25, also of Massapequa. They were arraigned on September 30, 2015, before Nassau County District Court Judge Paul Meli. Clyne and Dertinger were released on their own recognizance, while Lopez was conditionally released to the Department of Probation. The defendants were scheduled to return to court on October 2.
“The defendants allegedly staged a crash and pretended to have injuries, but their scheme began to unravel once investigators saw through their foolhardy plan,” Acting DA Singas stated.
Singas added that insurance fraud is a frequent occurrence in Nassau County and these actions drive up costs for honest policyholders.
Dertinger and Lopez face charges of Insurance Fraud in the 4th Degree (an E felony), Falsifying Business Records in the 1st Degree (an E felony), and Conspiracy in the 6th Degree (a B misdemeanor). Clyne was charged with Insurance Fraud in the 4th Degree (an E felony) and Conspiracy in the 6th Degree (a B misdemeanor).
Steven Baptiste, another defendant, was arraigned on September 3, 2015, in Nassau County District Court before the Honorable Judge James Darcy on the same charges as Dertinger and Lopez. Bail was set at $2,000 bond or $1,000 cash. His next court date was October 9, 2015.
Baptiste, Dertinger, and Clyne could face a maximum prison sentence of 1 1/3 to 4 years if convicted on the most serious charge. Lopez could face a maximum of 2 to 4 years. The investigation is ongoing.
According to Acting DA Singas, the defendant Steven Baptiste allegedly orchestrated and staged the motor vehicle accident with the other defendants on September 6, 2013, at approximately 5:30 pm at the intersection of Division Avenue and School House Road in Levittown.
The police report indicates that a 2013 U-Haul truck, rented and operated by Erin Clyne, struck a 2002 Mitsubishi owned and operated by Tiffany Dertinger. The report also noted that passengers in Dertinger’s car included Steven Baptiste and Michael Lopez. It further stated that no injuries occurred and damage to both vehicles was minimal. Neither vehicle required a tow truck, and the drivers moved them from the scene.
On September 27, 2013, Republican West Insurance (RepWest), the insurance underwriter for U-Haul, received a claim for no-fault insurance benefits on behalf of a co-conspirator. On October 7, Traveler’s Insurance Company, which insured the Mitsubishi, received claims submitted on behalf of Baptiste, Dertinger, and Lopez for no-fault insurance benefits.
In their claims, Baptiste, Dertinger, and Lopez reported neck and back pain resulting from the accident. One co-conspirator submitted a bill for orthopedic treatment received on September 27, 2013, totaling $1,466.28. Dertinger also submitted a claim for property damage to her Mitsubishi for $673.
RepWest investigators determined that Baptiste had planned and orchestrated the accident, enlisting the other defendants in the scheme. The investigation also revealed that the claimed injuries were non-existent and the Mitsubishi was undamaged. The case was then referred to the DA’s Office by RepWest, and DA Investigators conducted their own investigation, collecting additional evidence to establish the criminal conspiracy and other related crimes committed by the defendants.
Assistant District Attorney Brian Heid of Acting DA Singas’ Government and Consumer Frauds Bureau is prosecuting the case. The defendants were represented by Legal Aid at the arraignment.
Note: The charges are accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
