3 charged with staging car accidents on LA County freeways to collect insurance money

SAN FERNANDO, Calif. (CNS) -- Three people who allegedly purposely caused accidents on Los Angeles County freeways, including some in which motorists were severely injured, to collect money from insurance companies are set to be arraigned in a San Fernando courtroom.

Eduardo Retana, 25, Ausencio Gomez, 46, and Victor Valle-Diaz, 55, all of Los Angeles, were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and insurance fraud, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

The case stems from 15 accidents involving 21 alleged victims some of whom suffered severe injuries, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Insurance fraud companies were allegedly defrauded for nearly $330,000.

Retana is charged with 11 counts of assault with a deadly weapon and 10 counts of insurance fraud, Gomez is charged with 10 counts of assault with a deadly weapon and nine counts of insurance fraud, and Valle-Diaz is charged with eight counts of assault with a deadly weapon and four counts of insurance fraud.

"Purposefully causing automobile collisions can cause grave injuries or even death for the innocent victims of an automobile insurance scheme," District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement announcing the charges.