Crime & Safety
Middlesex County Man Drove BMW Uninsured, Crashed Car, Says Prosecutor
A New Brunswick man is charged with insurance fraud after police say he only opened an auto insurance policy after he got into a car crash.
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — A New Brunswick man has been charged with insurance fraud after police say he drove his 2019 BMW 430i series without car insurance, and then got into a hit-and-run collision with another car.
The crash happened April 21 of this year in Hudson County, but he was arrested Wednesday, said Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez.
Her office said that Shingai Marandure, 30, of New Brunswick, opened a Progressive auto insurance policy seven days after it happened, on April 28.
Find out what's happening in New Brunswickfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Immediately after obtaining the policy, Marandure notified police of the damage to his car, and then filed a claim with Progressive the following day, said the prosecutor.
Marandure was taken into police custody on Wednesday of this week by members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Insurance Fraud Unit.
Find out what's happening in New Brunswickfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
He was charged with one count of insurance fraud, a second-degree crime. He was arrested at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Jersey City and released on a summons pending his first court appearance.
He sought reimbursement for the damage to his BMW, said the prosecutor.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
