Saturday, April 1, 2023
Subscriber Login
My Profile
SpotlightNews
  • Home
  • News
    • Election 2022
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Crime and Police
    • Discover-Towns
      • Discover Coeymans Selkirk and Feura Bush
      • Discover Delmar
      • Discover Glenmont
      • Discover Guilderland
      • Discover Latham and Boght
      • Discover Loudonville
      • Discover Menands
      • Discover Slingerlands
      • Discover Village of Colonie
      • Discover Voorheesville and New Scotland
    • Fire Departments
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Obituaries
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Food and Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
    • New Scotland
  • Classifieds
    • Employment – Hire Power
    • Services In the Spotlight
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber login
    • Give the gift of news
    • Join us – subscribe today
    • Newsletter sign up
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Election 2022
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Crime and Police
    • Discover-Towns
      • Discover Coeymans Selkirk and Feura Bush
      • Discover Delmar
      • Discover Glenmont
      • Discover Guilderland
      • Discover Latham and Boght
      • Discover Loudonville
      • Discover Menands
      • Discover Slingerlands
      • Discover Village of Colonie
      • Discover Voorheesville and New Scotland
    • Fire Departments
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Obituaries
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Food and Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
    • New Scotland
  • Classifieds
    • Employment – Hire Power
    • Services In the Spotlight
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber login
    • Give the gift of news
    • Join us – subscribe today
    • Newsletter sign up
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
Spotlight News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Government

State eyes staged motor vehicle collisions

Diego Cagara by Diego Cagara
August 14, 2019
in Government, News
Reading Time: 3 mins read

NEW  YORK —  Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law on Thursday, Aug. 8 that criminalizes staged motor vehicle collisions for the intent of insurance fraud.

The legislation establishes a Class E felony for such an incident as well as a Class D felony for when a person commits the same crime and causes serious physical injury to another person.

“In New York, we have zero tolerance for insurance fraud, and anyone who puts others in physical danger to further their scheme should be punished accordingly,” Cuomo said. “By signing this legislation into law, we are holding reckless individuals accountable by strengthening penalties for motor vehicle insurance fraud and taking a significant step to make our roads safer for every New Yorker.”

This legislation, also known as Alice’s Law, takes its name from wife and grandmother Alice Ross of Queens who died in 2003 after two men — cousins Ward Demoliere, 22, and Alex Carobert, 31 — randomly struck her vehicle to commit auto insurance fraud.

Ross was about to visit her daughter when it happened and the two men “planned to file insurance claims and receive settlement as a result of the crash.”

“The signing of this legislation closes loopholes in the insurance law, adds higher penalties for those who stage auto accidents, and rightfully honors the memory of Alice Ross,” said Assemblyman David I. Weprin. “I thank Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for signing this important law and Sen. Anna M. Kaplan for carrying this bill the Senate.”

“Many New Yorkers would be shocked to learn that there is no specific crime associated with staging a motor vehicle accident,” said Sen. Anna Kaplan. “By finally criminalizing staged collisions, this legislation will make our roads safer by serving as a powerful deterrent for a crime that puts the safety of the public at risk every day. Additionally, it gives our law enforcement agencies another tool to fight this dangerous crime. I thank Gov. Cuomo for signing this measure, and look forward to working with him on further legislation to make our roads safer and support law enforcement.”

Bethlehem Police Comdr.Adam Hornick said that such staged motor vehicle collisions have occurred in town although it’s “not common.”

He brought up that in most cases, a rental vehicle is used by a driver to collide with their own personal vehicle.

However, he acknowledged that insurance companies may sometimes find it cheaper to pay smaller claims, like $3,000 or $4,000, than to investigate if such claims are fraudulent.

This can make it difficult to determine exactly how many staged motor vehicle collisions have happened in town, he said.

He expressed support for the legislation, saying, “Previously, you had to meet certain thresholds and dollar amounts in damage before you’re able to get felony status and the felony depended on the dollar amount on the insurance claim. Now this law gives us a tool to use as creating automatic felonies for such crashes and it expands on previous legislation.”

When asked how the police can determine if a motor vehicle collision was staged, Hornick said one way is to interview eyewitnesses of the crash.

“Maybe they saw that the driver was looking ahead but still hit the back of a car and also, we may prove that the affected drivers in a crash are related or know each other. You should keep in mind about the odds of them knowing each other and still crashing to each other,” he said.

For more information, visit www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-signs-legislation-criminalizing-staged-motor-vehicle-accidents.

Tags: Bethlehem police Cmdr. Adam HornickGov. Andrew Cuomo
ShareTweetShareShare
Previous Post

PICK OF THE WEEK: River Jams kicks off Thursday with Wurliday and Dark Honey

Next Post

Albany hosts the first Aurora Games, an all-women’s international competition, at the Times Union Center

Leave Comment

Stay Connected with Us

Recent News

Bethlehem Area Weekly Police BlotterMarch March 22nd – March 29th

April 1, 2023

Colonie Area Weekly Police BlotterMarch March 22nd – March 29th

April 1, 2023

Food: Roasted Lamb with Roasted Asparagus

March 31, 2023

Celebrating the Crossroads of Film and Storytelling

March 31, 2023

Hot Stories This Week

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

Colonie Area Weekly Police BlotterMarch 15th – March 22nd

March 26, 2023

A ‘wicked good time’ coming to Xgates

September 2, 2022

River Road crash turns fatal

March 29, 2023

Colonie Area Weekly Police BlotterMarch March 22nd – March 29th

April 1, 2023

Bethlehem Area Weekly Police BlotterMarch March 22nd – March 29th

April 1, 2023

Colonie Area Weekly Police BlotterMarch March 22nd – March 29th

April 1, 2023

Food: Roasted Lamb with Roasted Asparagus

March 31, 2023

Celebrating the Crossroads of Film and Storytelling

March 31, 2023
Spotlight News

Spotlight News, The Spot 518 and Capital District Family Now are divisions of Community Media Group, LLC. Our local offices are located at 341 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY 12054. You can contact us at 518.439.4949.

Browse

Follow Us

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact the Editor
  • Employment
  • Our Team
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Legal Notices Portal

© 2022 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Election 2022
  • News
    • Crime and Police
    • Fire Departments
    • Milestones
    • Real Estate and Housing
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Spotlight On Business
    • Spotlight on Finance
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Theatre
    • Music
    • Food and Drink
    • Health & Fitness
  • Hot Spots Calendar
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Opinion
  • Classifieds
    • Advertiser Login
    • Service Directory
    • Hire Power – Employer Spotlight
  • Capital District Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
  • Log In
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949