Associated Press Published

W.Va. Men Admit False Claims in Staged Crashes

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Federal authorities say two West Virginia men have admitted their roles in filing false insurance claims for motor vehicle accidents.

They were among eight people indicted in March over staged accidents from 2012 to 2014 in three counties.

According to prosecutors, 55-year-old Dallas Lewis, of Clarksburg, pleaded guilty to mail fraud conspiracy and 34-year-old Charles Bonner, of Morgantown, pleaded guilty to mail fraud.

Authorities say Bonner took part in a staged accident in January 2012 in Harrison County, faking injuries and filing a false insurance claim that paid approximately $101,500 to him and others.

He also admitted a role in getting an insurance settlement check sent to someone else for $46,500.

The indictment alleged that Lewis coordinated the crashes and recruited the others.