THP-CID, Arrest Chattanooga Business Owner for Fraud
Friday, January 22, 2010 | 05:29am
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Highway Patrol, Criminal Investigation Division (CID) arrested a Chattanooga business man Thursday and charged him with Insurance Fraud after he requested his employee to steal his Harley Davidson motorcycle.
Clay Ledkins, 46, of Chattanooga, is charged with a Class D Felony, Insurance Fraud. Ledkins is the owner of Clay Danger Karaoke in Chattanooga and former owner of the Danger Zone Bar and Grill in South Pittsburg.
On June 16, 2009, Ledkins filed a fraudulent stolen vehicle report with South Pittsburg Police Department on his 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle. Ledkins stated to the South Pittsburg Police Department that the motorcycle was taken from the Danger Zone Bar, located at 1475 Old Jasper Rd in South Pittsburg. Ledkins then filed a fraudulent insurance claim with Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance Company.
The investigation determined that Ledkins told his employee to steal his 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle, so Ledkins could then collect the insurance money from Tennessee Farmer Mutual Insurance, where the motorcycle was insured.
Apparently, Ledkins communicated to his employee about his financial problems just before the alleged theft took place. The entire conversation was overheard by a patron of the establishment and the patron also observed Ledkins give the employee a set of keys.
On September 23, 2009, THP CID Special Agent Matthew Minter and the Marion County Sheriff Department investigators located the stolen motorcycle. The motorcycle was in an out building on Woodall Point Road in Marion County. The motorcycle had been dismantled when it was located by Special Agent Minter.
“Dismantlement is a great indicator that the person is planning to sell the motorcycle part by part, hoping to elude the identity of the motorcycle” stated SA Minter. “The investigation was able to easily identify the parts of the dismantled motorcycle and verify that it was the stolen motorcycle belonging to Mr. Ledkins.”
Also charged in the case are Tim Champion, 26, Gino Martin, 43 and Nick Talley, 22, all of South Pittsburg, Tennessee.
On January 21, 2010, Ledkins turned himself into authorities at the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Chattanooga Headquarters in Tiftonia after a brief time eluding police. Assisting in the case were THP Interdiction-Plus, Chattanooga Police Department Auto Theft Division and the Marion County Sheriff’s Department.
Ledkins was booked in Marion County Jail and has a first appearance scheduled for February 10, 2010.
The Tennessee Department of Safety’s (www.TN.gov/safety) mission is to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.