DA: Four Staged Car Accident to Collect Insurance Money

Four people have been arrested and charged with staging a car accident in 2013 in order to collect insurance money, Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said Wednesday.

Erin Clyne, 29, of Rockville Centre, Tiffany Dertinger, 22, of Massapequa, and Michael Lopez, 25, of Massapequa, were arraigned Wednesday on multiple charges.

“The defendants allegedly staged a crash and pretended to have injuries, but their scheme began to unravel once investigators saw through their foolhardy plan,” Singas said. “Insurance fraud is all too common in Nassau County and these actions raise rates for honest policyholders.”

According to the DA, Steven Baptiste, who was arrested earlier this month, organized and staged a motor vehicle accident with the three others on Sept. 6, 2013 at about 5:30 pm at the intersection of Division Avenue and School House Road in Levittown.

According to the police report, a 2013 U-Haul truck that was rented and operated by Erin Clyne struck a 2002 Mitsubishi which was owned and operated by Tiffany Dertinger.

The report noted that the passengers in Dertinger’s car included Steven Baptiste and Michael Lopez, Singas said. The report also noted that no one was injured in the accident and that there was minimal damage to both vehicles. No ambulance was required and the vehicles were removed by the drivers.

On Sept. 27, 2013, Republican West Insurance, the insurance underwriter for U-Haul, received a claim submitted on behalf of Clyne for no-fault insurance benefits, Singas said.

On October 7, Traveler’s Insurance Company, which insured the Mitsubishi, received claims submitted on behalf of Baptiste, Dertinger, and Lopez for no-fault insurance benefits as well, Singas said.

In filing their claims, Baptiste, Dertinger, and Lopez stated that they had neck and back pain as a result of being struck in the rear by another vehicle, Singas said.

One co-conspirator submitted a bill to an insurance company for orthopedic treatment received on Sept. 27, 2013 in the amount of $1,466.28, Singas said.

Dertinger also submitted a claim for property damage to her Mitsubishi in the amount of $673, Singas said.

RepWest investigators discovered that the accident had been planned and orchestrated by Baptiste, who enlisted the others into the criminal conspiracy, prosecutors said.

The investigators also determined that the injuries claimed were non-existent and that the Mitsubishi was not damaged, Singas said.

Dertinger, Lopez and Baptiste are each charged with fourth degree insurance fraud, first degree falsifying business records and sixth degree conspiracy. Clyne is charged with fourth degree insurance fraud and sixth degree conspiracy.

Following their arraignment, Clyne and Dertinger were released on their own recognizance. Lopez was conditionally released to the Department of Probation. They re due back in court on Friday.

Baptiste was arraigned on Sept. 3. Bail was set in the amount of $2,000 bond or $1,000 cash. His next court date is Oct. 9.

Photos: (L-R) Erin Clyne, Tiffany Dertinger and Michael Lopez