Crash dummies: 8 busted in dopey collision collusion

By LORENA MONGELLI and JENNIFER FERMINO
Last Updated: 3:50 AM, March 23, 2011
Posted: 1:07 AM, March 23, 2011

When they get out of prison, maybe they can apply for jobs as crash dummies.

Nine knuckleheads staged a three-car crash to rip off their insurance companies -- but it was such an amateur production that the pathetic pileup looked more like a comedy act when cops saw it on surveillance video, authorities said.

In one particularly memorable scene, one of the drivers actually backs up for a do-over.

"It is pretty indisputable when you have the camera showing something like this," said NYPD Capt. Don Boller.

Eight of the buddies from The Bronx were busted yesterday for the bogus June 22 smash-up.

The other is still being sought.

The nine packed into three cars -- a 2000 Ford, a 1995 Subaru and a 1999 Land Rover -- and scouted the neighborhood, police said.

"In the video, it shows they are driving slowly around the block. It appears they looking for a location to conduct the crash," said Boller.

After a couple of loops around the neighborhood, they settled on West 168th Street and Cromwell Avenue, right in front of a store's surveillance camera.

Once they picked the spot, the drivers gingerly backed into each other at extremely slow speeds, according to a video clip the cops provided.

"That's a big indicator that whoever is doing this crime really doesn't want to get hurt -- they just want to claim the injury," said Boller.

Not surprisingly, their geriatric driving caused little damage -- so they gave it another go.

"The operator of [vehicle] one gets out and clearly goes back into his car, puts it in reverse and hits vehicle number two [again]," Boller said.

That time they apparently were pleased with the performance, which starred Julio Rivera, 28, Carmine Navarra, 33, and Hector Cruz, 21, as the drivers, authorities said.

Their passengers were identified as Sor Perez, 30, Dekodar Vascones, 25, Luis Garcia, 31, Venecia Reyes, 23, and Julie Dilonardo, 25.

They all claimed neck, back and other injuries, said Boller.

It was unclear whether they collected any money for their trouble.

All were charged with insurance fraud, grand larceny, and falsifying business records. Cops did not identify the suspect who is at large.

Even before they saw the surveillance video, cops were suspicious because all of the cars were older models, had minimal damage and were loaded with supposedly injured passengers, said Boller.

"There was very minimal damage, which is one of the indicators of fraud," he said.

lorena.mongelli@nypost.com

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