A couple accused of changing stories about a car crash have pleaded guilty to insurance fraud.
Gary Bowen and Ella Bowen-Davis pleaded guilty on Tuesday to Class C felony insurance fraud. They had been scheduled to stand trial on Tuesday and Wednesday before deciding to plead guilty.
Burleigh County Assistant State’s Attorney Jeff Ubben said Bowen-Davis already is scheduled to be sentenced Friday for reckless endangerment related to the same car crash, and it is possible she also could be sentenced on the insurance fraud case Friday. Ubben said Bowen will be sentenced after a presentence investigation is conducted.
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Bowen-Davis was accused of chasing after her husband, Bowen, on March 29, 2011, when he left their home in a Chevrolet Impala. In court last year, Bowen-Davis said her husband had taken their rent money, and she went after him in a Chevrolet Suburban. Witnesses saw the two vehicles go through two red lights. Bowen-Davis had three children younger than 11 years old in the back seat.
When Bowen attempted to turn south onto 11th Street, witnesses said, Bowen-Davis struck the back of his car, sending both vehicles off the road. Bowen-Davis’ Suburban struck the north side of a house, and Bowen’s Impala ended up in the front yard.
Bowen-Davis was convicted in May of Class C felony reckless endangerment for the crash. She has been in custody since her conviction on May 9.
Bowen and Bowen-Davis were charged in June 2011 with insurance fraud related to the March 2011 crash. Court documents said they gave numerous different stories about the crash to insurance agents.
Bowen-Davis also faces two additional insurance fraud charges and a count of forgery or counterfeiting for allegedly making fraudulent insurance claims on renters’ insurance policies and supplying forged documents to back up the claims. Ubben said Bowen-Davis is scheduled to plead guilty to those charges next week.
