A Yucaipa couple is facing a slew of felony charges after allegedly causing multiple car accidents and documenting them on their YouTube channel. The San Bernardino County District Attorney's office claims that Christopher and Kimberly Phelps, both 40, caused the crashes intentionally to collect insurance payouts, and also used the incidents to generate content for their YouTube page, which featured over 160 videos showcasing collisions, near misses, and road rage.
According to investigators, 23 of the accidents documented on the couple's YouTube channel were linked to 17 insurance claims filed by Christopher Phelps. Officials also noted that many of the road rage incidents caught on camera appeared to be deliberate acts.
The couple's young child was reportedly present in the vehicle during several of the crashes, and prosecutors are hoping to identify additional victims who may have been featured in the clips.
The investigation into the couple's activities began after Christopher Phelps was involved in a suspicious crash, where investigators observed him stopping abruptly for no reason and causing a truck to rear-end his vehicle. Shortly after the incident, Phelps posted a rear dashcam video of the crash on his YouTube page.
To build their case, prosecutors and investigators with the California Department of Insurance filed several search warrants and spent hours reviewing video footage. As a result, Christopher Phelps is now facing six counts of assault with a deadly weapon, 11 counts of insurance fraud, and five counts of child endangerment. His wife, Kimberly Phelps, is charged with two counts of child endangerment and one count of insurance fraud. Christopher Phelps had previously been charged with two felonies related to a crash in February.
The couple's actions not only put themselves and their child in danger, but also endangered the lives of other drivers on the road. Their alleged scheme to profit from causing intentional car accidents is both reprehensible and criminal, and it is fortunate that law enforcement was able to put a stop to their activities before anyone was seriously hurt or killed.
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