T.O. man charged with insurance fraud

Yair Romo Hernandez, 24, of Thousand Oaks was arrested and charged recently with felony auto insurance fraud.

According to CHP detectives, at 9 a.m. Sept. 22 Hernandez reported to the Ventura Police Department that his 2007 Nissan pickup truck had been stolen from downtown Ventura the previous night.

Three days later, Hernandez filed a claim for his stolen vehicle with Topa Insurance.

CHP detectives determined that between 2 and 3 a.m. on Sept. 22, Hernandez was involved in a solo accident on the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles. Hernandez' vehicle was towed early that morning from the freeway to MZ Body Shop in Los Angeles. Hernandez never returned to the body shop to pick up his vehicle or to have it repaired.

In December the body shop notified the CHP about the unclaimed, abandoned vehicle on its property. CHP investigated and discovered the alleged insurance fraud.

Hernandez had served a prison term for a previous felony conviction, according to the CHP. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 11 years in state prison and up to $50,000 in fines.

He remains in custody with bail set at $30,000. He has entered a notguilty plea.

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