Former Gordon couple accused of insurance fraud, taking out policy after striking deer
GORDON – A former couple is facing felony insurance fraud charges, accused of taking out a car insurance policy the day after they struck a deer when they lived in this borough.
Danny Harrell, 28, of 3921 Old River Road, Greenville, NC, and Miranda Harrell, 28, of 7 Patricia Drive, Cornwall, are facing one count each of felony insurance fraud, attempted theft, and conspiracy.
Charges were filed Thursday by the Attorney General’s office in Magisterial District Judge Edward Tarantelli’s Frackville courtroom.
According to the criminal complaints filed by Special Agent David Bunchalk, the state was notified by an investigator from Progressive regarding the alleged insurance fraud.
The Harrell’s were formerly a couple, living on East Biddle Street in Gordon before separating in July.
Progressive reported that the Harrell’s filed a claim on Nov. 5, 2022, hours after they said the couple took out an insurance policy on a 2010 Toyota Venza. The previous policy on the car, from Geico, lapsed two weeks prior due to non-payment.
They claimed that they struck a deer on Interstate 81 Northbound near mile marker 117-118 — between the Minersville and Highridge exits — and said State Police were notified, but said the accident was non-reportable.
A Progressive claims specialist took a statement from Danny Harrell, on Nov. 11, in which he said he took out the policy when he arrived home from work on Nov. 5.
They also spoke to Miranda Harrell on Nov. 17, in which she said the policy was taken out “a day or two prior” to the accident, saying she worked until 2pm Nov. 5, drove home and then went to dinner with family celebrating an anniversary.
Miranda Harrell worked for a salon in Myerstown, 45 minutes from Gordon.
The next day, Progressive called that salon and spoke to the manager, who said that Miranda Harrell did not work that day, calling out around noon noting she was in a crash — hours before the crash was reported to the insurance company.
A follow-up call with that information was made to Miranda Harrell, who then said the crash may have been the day prior.
Progressive denied the claim and, nearly a year later in September, special agents from the Attorney General’s Office visited Miranda Harrell at her home in Cornwall — about 10 minutes south of Lebanon — and learned that she had separated from Danny, who moved to Greenville, North Carolina, with a friend of Miranda’s.
Miranda Harrell, Bunchalk wrote, said she was aware that what she told the insurance company was not truthful, but that it was at the direction of Danny.
She said they were on the way home from game night at a friend’s house when they struck the deer on I-81 on Nov. 4, damaging the vehicle’s driver’s side. The Toyota was able to be driven back to Gordon.
Danny Harrell, she recalled, said the car was uninsured and that they would get insurance the next day and file the claim shortly after.
Miranda Harrell borrowed money from a coworker to pay for the policy.
Agents checked in with her employer on Oct. 2 and verified that they were notified of the crash on Nov. 4 with a photo.
On Oct. 19, they then spoke with Danny, who also verified that the car was uninsured and that the crash happened on the way home from game night on Nov. 4.
The two were arraigned Thursday before Tarantelli and released on $25,000 unsecured bail.
A preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 3
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