Five accused of staging crash in Evangeline Parish

Police arrested five people today for staging a crash involving a passenger car and a rental vehicle near Ville Platte in 2015, according to Master Trooper Brooks David, spokesman for Louisiana State Police Troop I. The crash involved five adults and three children between the ages of nine and 15.  Investigators say the goal of the staged crash was to generate fraudulent insurance claims for intentionally damaged property and fake bodily injuries. At the conclusion of the investigation, detectives obtained arrest warrants on charges of insurance fraud, filing a false police report, and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, stated David. Detectives arrested the following suspects and booked them into the Evangeline Parish Jail:Winston Dupre, 66, of Pollock, was arrested on a charge of insurance fraud, filing false public records.Sheba Williams, 32, of Opelousas, was arrested on a charge of insurance fraud, filing false public records and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile (2 counts).Lucinda Williams, 26, of Ville Platte, on a charge of insurance fraud.                                   Delores Bias, 24, of Eunice, on a charge of insurance fraud.Melanie Malveaux, 36, of Mamou, on a charge of insurance fraud, contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile Anyone having information concerning persons staging vehicle crashes, or committing other forms of insurance fraud, should contact the Louisiana State Police Insurance Fraud / Auto Theft Unit at (225) 925-3701 or insurance.fraud.unit@dps.la.gov.