LAFAYETTE — Louisiana State Police detectives with the Insurance Fraud/Auto Theft Unit assigned to the Lafayette field office arrested five people Monday for staging a vehicle accident for insurance money in 2015.

According to Master Trooper for Troop I Brooks David, the initial investigation revealed that in December 2015, five people participated in a staged vehicle crash involving a passenger car and a rental vehicle near Ville Platte. 

Those arrested included Sheba Williams, 32, of Opelousas; Lucinda Williams, 26, of Ville Platte; Melanie Malveaux, 36, of Mamou; Delores Bias, 24, of Eunice, and Winston Dupre, 66, of Pollock. 

The crash involved five adults and three children between the ages of 9 and 15, according to David. The alleged 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.