TX Couple Fraud Scheme Foiled by Automatic Headlights?

Before automatic headlights, people used to leave their car lights on all the time. Well, leaving the lights on is no longer a problem; however, when a car is pushed off a bridge during the daytime, it is possible that the automatic headlights will turn on when it gets dark. We attribute this discovery to a Texas couple that has been arrested and charged with insurance fraud. Police say they reported their vehicle as stolen, but really submerged their car in a nearby lake in order to claim an insurance payout.

According to Captain Bob Walker of the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department , it all started on the afternoon of July 10th, when deputies were called about the report of a stolen vehicle. The 2008 Mazda Rav was said to be stolen right off of the Bevilport boat ramp at the Angelina River.

Walker said that Stephanie Letney told deputies that she and her children were swimming in the river, when someone stole her van.

Walker noted that at about 10:00 that evening, a woman was driving across the Sandy Creek low water bridge, where Sandy Creek flows into Dam B, when she notice two lights glowing under the water.

According to CBS News and investigators, Dusty Ray Letney and Stephanie Marie Letney pushed their vehicle off of a bridge and into Dam B, and then made a false report that stated that the vehicle was stolen.

As stated by Captain Walker, evidence in the case led to the arrest, which happened late last week. Both were released from jail on July 16^th on $20,000 bonds.

Walker said Emergency Corps President Billy Williford and Game Warden Justin Eddins went into the water and confirmed that it was the vehicle that was reported stolen earlier in the day.

It took several hours for Williford and Eddins, who were assisting a crew from Jasper Towing & Recovery, to pull the completely submerged vehicle out of the lake.

Sheriff Mitchel Newman said that it appeared that the van’s transmission had been placed in neutral before it was pushed into the water. He also noted that the van then floated about 150 yards away from the bridge before sinking in water that was about 5 feet deep.