Mar 9, 2015 3 min read

NEMACOLIN – A Carmichaels man was arrested earlier this month by the state attorney general’s office for insurance fraud.

Brett W. Kronk, 49, of Lot 83, Brodak’s Trailer Park, was arrested Wednesday and charged with insurance fraud and criminal attempt to commit theft by deception.

According to the criminal complaint, Kronk was insured under the auto insurance policy of Nichole Wallace of Nemacolin, with whom he lived, when a claim was made for Kronk hitting a deer April 23.

Wallace called the insurance company April 24 to report Kronk, who was then her boyfriend, was involved in an accident with his 2003 Ford Escape. She acknowledged Kronk was the driver and placed Kronk on the phone with the Progressive Insurance representative, La’Nae Bauchman.

Bauchman said Kronk told her he hit a deer April 23 resulting in damage to his driver’s side headlight, fog light, front fender, front door, rear door handle and quarter panel.

He said there was no prior damage to the vehicle, the complaint said.

Bauchman later learned Kronk purchased the vehicle from a friend with existing damage the friend reported on an Allstate Insurance claim June 18, 2013. The claim paid out $2,747.67. It was unknown if the repairs were made.

Bauchman also interviewed Wallace who allegedly told her the only damage related to Kronk hitting the deer was to the driver’s side headlight and possibly the bumper.

Bauchman said Wallace told her the vehicle had some damage when Kronk purchased it, and she did not want to get involved with him filing a fraudulent claim, the complaint said.

Wallace viewed photographs from the Allstate Insurance claim at Bauchman’s request. She told Bauchman damage to the vehicle in the photographs looked the same as when Kronk purchased it.

On June 6, an appraiser from Progressive Insurance estimated damage to Kronk’s vehicle at $3,427.03.

The appraiser subtracted prior unrelated damages leaving repair costs of $875.30.

The appraiser said Kronk told him some of the damages happened when he struck a sign after hitting the deer. Progressive Insurance never paid the claim, according to the complaint.

In October, Kronk was interviewed by special agent James J. Wabby of the insurance fraud section for the attorney general. Wabby said Kronk told him the accident occurred on his way to work and some of the damage to his vehicle was related to it. Kronk told Wabby he made a mistake when he included the prior damages, the complaint said.

Kronk said he repaired the vehicle himself.

He also told Wabby Wallace had nothing to do with filing the claim. Kronk also said he told Progressive he did not want to pursue the claim but Wabby informed him withdrawing the claim after it was filed had no effect on the investigation.

Kronk has a preliminary hearing scheduled for 11:30 a.m. March 12 before Magisterial District Judge Lee Watson.