Full story in the Los Angeles Times

By Summer Lin

A car crash on a Southern California freeway last year was a staged wreck to scam a ride-hail driver’s insurance company, authorities said Monday.

On Nov. 23, 2024, a group of suspects ordered a ride-hail car that took them onto the 215 Freeway in San Bernardino, where John Murillo, 37, was driving another vehicle and intentionally collided with the ride-hail car, according to a California Department of Insurance news release.

The passengers inside the ride-hail vehicle, Ledontae Pope, 30, and Kalil Davis, 27, were allegedly in on the scam and claimed they were injured. The two were taken to a hospital by paramedics. The aim of the scam was to file a claim against the ride-hail driver and collect the insurance payout, state officials said.

The incident was reported to the California Highway Patrol as a hit-and-run, according to the release. But during the CHP’s investigation into the crash, the ride-hail driver shared their suspicion that the crash may have been staged. The CHP then referred the incident to the Inland Empire Automobile Insurance Task Force.

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Pope, Davis and Moses were sentenced to jail time and probation. Murillo is awaiting sentencing but has agreed to spend two years in prison, state Department of Insurance officials said. Perater-Nickson faces multiple felonies, including false imprisonment, pimping and pandering. His case is pending in court.