LAFAYETTE PARISH, LA — A coordinated investigation by the Louisiana State Police and the Louisiana Department of Insurance has resulted in the arrests of three men accused of orchestrating a staged vehicle crash in Lafayette Parish earlier this year.
The probe began on March 25, 2025, after the Insurance Fraud and Auto Theft Unit (IFAT) received a complaint from the Department of Insurance. The complaint originated from a trucking company that raised suspicions regarding a crash reported on January 19 at the intersection of Willow Street and Teurlings Drive.
Authorities allege that 45-year-old Justin Ledet of Rayne, 38-year-old Steven Thomas of Lafayette, and 37-year-old Alfred Onezine of Breaux Bridge conspired to stage the collision. According to investigators, Ledet, driving a company-owned truck, intentionally struck the rear of a Chevrolet Silverado operated by Thomas. Onezine, along with three juvenile passengers, was also inside the Silverado at the time.
Following the incident, all five occupants of the Silverado filed insurance claims with a combined estimated fraud value nearing $10 million.
On May 2, Ledet and Thomas were taken into custody for violating Louisiana’s automobile insurance fraud statute (LA R.S. 22:1925). Both were booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center without incident.
Later, on May 29, Onezine was arrested on a warrant charging him with three counts of cruelty to juveniles (LA R.S. 14:93), four counts of automobile insurance fraud, and resisting an officer (LA R.S. 14:108) after reportedly resisting arrest. He was booked into the St. Martin Parish Jail.
Colonel Robert Hodges, Superintendent of Louisiana State Police, condemned the scheme, stating, “This kind of fraud puts lives at risk and raises costs for everyone. We’re committed to holding offenders accountable.”
Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple also weighed in, emphasizing the broader impact of the crime: “These men put three children in danger to try and game the system. Louisiana drivers are already paying the highest auto insurance rates in the country—we won’t tolerate this kind of fraud.”
The investigation remains active. Authorities encourage anyone with information related to insurance fraud to report it to the Louisiana State Police Insurance Fraud Unit at lsp.org/ifu or the Louisiana Department of Insurance at ldi.la.gov.