Three accused of faking crash with U-Haul truck

Arrest warrants issued in alleged insurance fraud case

Arrest warrants have been issued for three people accused of staging an accident between a car and a rented U-Haul truck in an alleged insurance fraud case.

Lavelda Rogers, 50, Wanda Wrightner, 50, and Kenneth Blake, 51, are accused of fraudulent insurance acts, according to affidavits attached to arrest warrants filed in December in Miller County. According to the affidavits, Rogers rented a U-Haul truck March 31, 2016, from a business in the 5000 block of State Line Avenue in Texarkana, Ark.

Later that evening, Rogers reported that while driving the truck she struck a car being driven by Wrightner in which Blake was a passenger. The crash was allegedly staged. All three defendants are accused of making fraudulent insurance claims for bodily injury they reported suffering in the allegedly planned accident.

Rogers allegedly admitted to the fraud in a statement recorded by insurance investigators. The affidavit asking for warrants for Rogers', Wrightner's and Blake's arrests was signed by an investigator with the Arkansas Insurance Fraud Investigation Division.

The affidavit alleges the defendants are guilty of fraudulent insurance acts, a class-D felony punishable by up to six years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.

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