2 Charged With Filing False Insurance Claims In 2 Separate Incidents

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Two individuals have been charged with insurance fraud after faking injuries from auto accidents in two separate incidents.

Jermichael Leon McCoy, 35, and Lashonda Marie Gail, 30, both of Minneapolis, have been charged with two felony counts of insurance fraud for filing false insurance claims.

According to the Minnesota Department of Commerce Fraud Bureau, McCoy filed a claim stating he was injured in an auto accident in the Aldi's parking lot on Penn Avenue in north Minneapolis.

The criminal complaint states McCoy said he was injured as a pedestrian.

Surveillance cameras from the store show a minivan backing out of a parking spot in front of the store and hitting multiple cars. Just over a minute later, McCoy walks toward the accident from a different place in the parking lot. He begins to limp and lies down near the last car hit by the van.

The police report states McCoy showed his injuries to offers and was taken by an ambulance to North Memorial Hospital.

The following day, McCoy began to seek chiropractic and medical treatments. He filed benefit claims for the injuries with his auto insurance company and the company of the driver of over $4,500.

According to the Minnesota Department of Commerce Fraud Bureau, Gail claimed she was injured in the Family Dollar store.

The criminal complaint states surveillance video from the store shows a man parked Gail's car in the store parking lot. He went in to the store and returns to her car. As he leaves the parking space, he hits a car attempting to park in the spot next to him.

The man driving Gail's car told the driver of the other vehicle he didn't have insurance and he needed to call his girlfriend. He left the scene and came back a short while later.

According to the criminal complaint, Gail arrived at the scene to pick up the man. She leaves then returns to the Family Dollar parking lot on foot. Gail then told authorities she was the driver of the vehicle.

The next day, Gail filed and insurance claim with her auto insurance and the other driver's.