NC Trio Arrested for Staged Hit-and-Run

Three NC locals are facing serious charges of insurance fraud for allegedly staging an accident and claiming to be the victims of a hit-and-run.

 According to Star News, three individuals reported to authorities that they were traveling in two separate vehicles on July 19, 2009 when they were hit by a third driver who then fled on foot.  However, when the third vehicle was found to be owned by one of the claimants and not some mysterious phantom driver, an investigation was immediately launched into whether or not this trio was a part of and staged accident scheme.

“Arrested were 31-year-old Zakiya Dalila Perkins of 13 Larry Ann Drive in Castle Hayne, 36-year-old John Andrew Murphy of 807 Rankin St. in Wilmington, and 37-year-old Billy Joe Robinson of 385 Newkirk Road in Burgaw.”

“According to the state insurance department, the three suspects filed individual insurance claims after the accident. GMAC Insurance reportedly gave Perkins more than $18,000 and Murphy another $2,000 for their claims, while Robinson received more than $8,000 from Peak Property Casualty Insurance.”

Murphy and Robinson were arrested and then released in August and Perkins was arrested on Wednesday under a $20,000 security bond.  Each individual faces one count of insurance fraud and obtaining property under false pretenses. 

The investigation was a joint effort from the North Carolina Highway Patrol and the NC Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division. Arrests were made by both the New Hanover and Pender County Sheriff’s Department.  Apparently, this trio misjudged the wits of local authorities or just didn’t realize that DMV records can be easily accessed by law enforcement and a search of those records is usually the first step in any hit-and-run incident.