La. Woman’s Reported Run-In with a Tree Leaves Her Hanging with Fraud Conviction

It took a jury less than one hour to convict Barbara Gant of Slaughter, Louisiana of one count of insurance fraud, Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr. announced. Assistant Attorney General Julie Collins with the Insurance Fraud Support Unit of the Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case earlier this month. The State Police Insurance Fraud Unit assisted with the criminal investigation.

Gant was charged with one count of insurance fraud after she reportedly made a false accident report to the East Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office. In the report, Gant claimed she collided with a tree because of swerving to avoid a deer as she was traveling on Louisiana Highway 959.

Subsequently, Gant made a fraudulent claim against her automobile insurer for damage to the vehicle, which she allegedly incurred when she collided with the tree.

An investigation by the Attorney General’s Office revealed that the accident never occurred and her vehicle was damaged prior to her insuring her vehicle with the insurance company.