Pair Denies Deliberately Causing Violent Crashes On LA Freeways

SAN FERNANDO, CA — Two of three men accused of terrorizing drivers on Los Angeles County Freeways by deliberately causing crashes as part of a wide-ranging insurance fraud scheme pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a slew of assault with a deadly weapon and insurance fraud charges.

The case involves 15 crashes involving 21 victims — some of whom suffered severe injuries, according to prosecutors. Many of the crashes occurred in the San Fernando Valley. Eduardo Retana, 25, and Ausencio Gomez, 46, and Victor Valle-Diaz, 55, are accused of staging the crashes to collect money from insurance companies.

Retana and Gomez, both Los Angeles residents, pleaded not guilty Wednesday. 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. Valle-Diaz is still awaiting arraignment.

According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, insurance fraud companies were defrauded out of nearly $330,000 in the scheme.

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

City News Service contributed to this report.