Pair from Bremerton face felony charges in insurance fraud case

By David Guest • August 2, 2016 11:53 am

OLYMPIA – Andrew R. Washburn and Crystal M. Truemper, both 29 and of Bremerton, were each charged in Kitsap County Superior Court with one count of first-degree attempted theft, filing a false insurance claim and criminal conspiracy after an investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU).

Crystal Truemper. Credit: Washington State Insurance Commissioners Office — **Crystal Truemper** Credit: Washington State Insurance Commissioners Office

On Sept. 21, 2015, Truemper rear-ended Washburn’s vehicle while driving in Silverdale. Truemper asked Washburn to hold off on filing a claim because she did not have insurance on her car. Later that day, Truemper purchased insurance from Esurance and told Washburn to proceed with filing a claim. The next day, Washburn took his 2005 Pontiac GTO to a shop for a written repair estimate.

On Sept. 24, Washburn filed a claim with Esurance for the damage to his car, saying the collision had happened that morning. Washburn and Truemper both repeatedly told Esurance that the collision happened on Sept. 24, three days after it actually happened. Washburn told Esurance he had already gotten a repair estimate, which was dated Sept. 22.