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Five individuals have recently been apprehended for allegedly orchestrating a hit-and-run collision in Ontario, California, with the intention of submitting a fraudulent insurance claim. This audacious scheme was eventually exposed thanks to the aid of home surveillance footage, enabling investigators to unravel the truth behind the incident.

The staged collision occurred in 2021, when the five perpetrators deliberately orchestrated a car crash at an intersection in Ontario, aiming to later claim an insurance payout exceeding $30,000. The defendants have been identified as 29-year-old Priscilla Carmona Arajo from Fontana, 52-year-old Gabriella Cervantes from Rancho Cucamonga, 40-year-old Roberto Carlos Macias from Chino, and 32-year-old Humberto Ortiz from Ontario. Additionally, 25-year-old Juan Barajas from Upland was already in custody at Orange County Jail at the time, unrelated to this particular case.

The investigation was significantly aided by surveillance footage, which reportedly captured one of the individuals abandoning a vehicle in the middle of the intersection. Moments later, another defendant intentionally collided with the empty car before both fled the scene on foot.

Upon arriving at the crash site, officers from the Ontario Police Department were approached by a woman claiming to be the victim of a hit-and-run accident. However, witnesses contradicted her account, asserting that she had walked over to the two vehicles after the collision occurred. Subsequently, a task force consisting of investigators from the California Department of Insurance, California Highway Patrol, San Bernardino District Attorney’s Office, and Riverside District Attorney’s Office collectively determined that the incident had been meticulously staged.

All five suspects were apprehended between January 11 and January 23, 2024. The Inland Empire Automobile Insurance Fraud Task Force carried out the investigation, resulting in the filing of felony charges for insurance fraud against them.

A statement from California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, as reported by CBS News, emphasized the importance of reporting suspected staged collisions. He urged drivers who suspect they or someone they know may be victims of such schemes to insist on filing a police report.

To report suspicious collisions, individuals can contact the California Department of Insurance at (800) 927-4357.