A San Diego woman who falsely claimed her car was stolen and involved in a hit-and-run collision was sentenced Monday to a two-year jail term, followed by three years of mandatory supervision.
Jill Audette, 28, was convicted earlier of five felony counts of insurance fraud and leaving the scene of a collision.
On Sept. 2, 2013, Audette contacted Progressive Casualty Insurance Co. — whose trademark saleslady is called Flo — and reported her car was stolen, claiming someone took her keys. The insurer settled the claim for $8,981 to cover the damages to Audette’s vehicle.
After making the bogus theft report to her insurance company, Audette called San Diego police to report the car stolen, but officers informed her that they had a report from a witness that her 2013 Hyundai was involved in a hit-and-run collision.
The car was impounded as evidence.
While investigating the case, police uncovered possible evidence of fraud and referred the case to the California Department of Insurance for investigation.
In the subsequent investigation, detectives found evidence that Audette was driving when she hit parked cars, fled the scene, and then reported her car stolen.
Audette was on probation for two previous DUI convictions at the time of the collision that led to the insurance fraud arrest, authorities said.
— City News Service