Driver Crashed During Street Takeover, Told Insurer He Was in Hit-and-Run: San Diego PD

Police investigators say a San Diego man who took part in a street takeover in National City last year crashed his car during the incident, then tried to get his auto insurer to pay for the damage by claiming he was hit-and-run.

Now, Daniel Gomez, 20, is facing a host of charges in connection to the events of Nov. 21 at and near the Plaza Bonita Mall.

Officials said in a news release issued Monday that Gomez crashed into another car during the takeover, then drove to a nearby street where he staged a fake hit-and-run crash with the aid of 19-year-old Ruben Talamantes, providing responding officers with false information, info that Gomez then gave to his insurance company while he was in San Diego, which led to the involvement of SDPD.

Talamantes, who was arraigned July 11, could be sentenced to more than five years in prison if convicted of all the felony counts, including insurance fraud. Gomez is due in court later on Tuesday.