Alice’s Law insurance fraud bill signed into law
Weprin’s bill named for Queens Village grandmother kill in scheme back in 2003
BY BILL PARRY
Legislation inspired by
the death of a 71-year-old
Queens Village grandmother
who was killed in a staged
accident in 2003, was signed
into law by Governor Andrew
Cuomo Thursday.
Assemblyman David
Weprin’s bill, known as
“Alice’s Law,” makes the
staging of an accident to
commit insurance fraud a
class E felony and in cases
where a serious physical or
death occurs, a class D felony
punishable by up to seven
years in prison.
Alice Ross, a devoted
wife and grandmother,
was on her way to visit her
daughter and grandchildren
when her automobile was
struck by another vehicle on
Commonwealth Boulevard
in Bellerose Terrace. Ross
lost control of her car which
slammed into a tree.
Two Brooklyn men were
charged with engineering
the crash in an intentional
attempt to commit auto
insurance fraud by the other
driver who planned to file
insurance claims and receive
a substantial settlement as a
result of the crash.
“Alice’s Law is named
after a constituent of mine,
Alice Ross, who was killed in
a staged auto accident in an
attempt to exploit New York’s
no-fault insurance law,”
Weprin said. “The signing
of this legislation closes
loopholes in the insurance
law, adds higher penalties
for those who stage auto
accidents, and rightfully
honors the memory of
Alice Ross.”
Waurd Demolaire
intentionally rammed his car
into hers to collect insurance
money under the state’s nofault
law. He was convicted of
manslaughter and conspiracy
in 2006 and was released on
probation in 2013.
“The perpetrator got off
with a very reduced sentence,
Assemblyman David Weprin insurance fraud bill known as “Alice’s
Law” was signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo Thursday.
considering the fact that he
murdered my sister,” Ross’
brother Don Peters said after
Demolaire’s release. “Now
he’s free to walk the streets of
New York again.”
Her son, Daniel Ross of
Bayside, said, “I don’t want
another family to go through
Courtesy of Weprin’s offi ce
what we went through.”
These staged accidents
result in fraudulent insurance
claims for fake crash injuries
costing companies and their
policyholders upwards on $1
billion per year. Such activities
pose a serious public safety
risk, especially for women and
elderly drivers who are often
targeted for these accidents
because they are considered
by criminals less likely to
be confrontational.
“In New York, we have
zero tolerance for insurance
fraud, and anyone who puts
others in physical danger to
further their scheme should
be punished accordingly,”
Cuomo said. “By signing this
legislation into law, we are
holding reckless individuals
accountable by strengthening
penalties for motor vehicle
insurance fraud and taking
a significant step to make
our roads safer for every
New Yorker.”
Alice’s Law aims to
potentially save New Yorkers
billions of dollars in higher
insurance premiums and
protect innocent victims from
harmful injury or death.
Reach reporter Bill
Parry by email at bparry@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4538.
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