Two Charged in 2020 Murder of Fellow Staged Accident Scammer
[Stay on top of transportation news: Get TTNews in your inbox.]
Federal authorities in New Orleans have indicted two individuals in the 2020 murder of Cornelius Garrison, a fellow participant in staged accidents with tractor-trailers who was known to be cooperating with the FBI.
The indictment, unsealed May 6, charges Ryan “Red” Harris, 35, of New Orleans, and Jovanna Gardner, 39, of Chalmette, La., in a five-count indictment with witness tampering through murder, conspiracy to retaliate against a witness through murder, and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. If convicted of the more serious crimes, Harris and Gardner each face up to life in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
The two are accused of murdering Garrison, 54, of New Orleans, who had been since October 2019 covertly cooperating with federal government investigators concerning staged automobile collisions, according to the indictment. Garrison was shot “multiple times,” the indictment said.
Garrison, aka “Poonie” or “Slim,” was a suspected ringleader in the scheme. He was alleged to have staged more than 50 accidents and received more than $150,000 by an unnamed co-conspirator. A Sept. 18, 2020, indictment alleged that Garrison staged accidents mostly on Interstate 10 from Slidell to Baton Rouge and usually at night to avoid eyewitnesses. He targeted commercial vehicles, including tractor-trailers, that were changing lanes and would cause the accident by striking the commercial vehicle or tractor-trailer in the driver’s blind spot, using a so-called slammer vehicle, according to court documents.
To retread or not to retread, that is the question. For some maintenance managers, the debate between purchasing new tires or retreads is constant. In this episode, host Michael Freeze finds answers about tires with Alex Aguilar, senior training specialist at Bridgestone Americas. Tune in above or by going to RoadSigns.ttnews.com.
On Sept. 22, 2020, just four days after he was formally charged, Garrison was murdered in an effort prevent him from cooperating with federal investigators and exposing the scheme, according to the indictment.
Between 2015 and the date of the murder indictment, Harris, Gardner and Garrison “caused or attempted to cause” passengers in the staged collisions to use the services of attorneys who were part of the scheme. The scheme included individuals who rode in automobiles as passengers knowing they would be part of staged collisions. Those individuals later lied as part of fraudulent insurance and medical claims and fraudulent lawsuits based on the staged collisions, according to court documents.
Thus far, 52 defendants have been charged in the ongoing federal probe, which stretches across investigations of staged automobile collisions around the New Orleans metropolitan area. Federal authorities believe there have been as many as 100 staged accident with tractor-trailers in recent years.
Prosecutors said the FBI, Louisiana State Police and the Metropolitan Crime Commission have been involved in the investigation.
Want more news? Listen to today's daily briefing below or go here for more info:
