(Credit: Quakertown Borough Police)
A felony insurance fraud charge was waived for Bucks County Court last month for a Quakertown woman accused of falsifying the timing of an auto accident so she could file a claim just hours after purchasing coverage.
According to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, Shannon Sanderlin, 47, of the 200 block of Windsor Court, was charged on June 2 following an investigation by county detectives, stemming from a referral by the National Insurance Crime Bureau and Progressive Insurance.
The investigation began in February 2024, after Progressive Insurance flagged a suspicious claim filed by Sanderlin, police allege. According to the criminal complaint, Sanderlin purchased a policy from Progressive on December 18, 2023, at 1:15 p.m., for her 2015 Toyota Avalon.
The very next day, she reported that her vehicle had been disabled after driving through a puddle on December 18, around 2:30 to 3 p.m., around Lambertville, New Jersey, according to the affidavit.
She claimed to have called her boyfriend, cousin, and AAA after the incident, which she said occurred after her policy was in place, police said.
However, AAA records told a different story.
Detectives found that two tow truck orders were placed on December 18, the first of which was created at 8:09 a.m. — more than five hours before Sanderlin purchased her insurance policy. That tow occurred near Titus Mill Road and Willow Creek Drive in New Jersey, and the vehicle was brought to North Oxford Valley Road in Langhorne, PA by 9:01 a.m., authorities allege.
A second tow later that day transported the vehicle to a dealership.
Investigators concluded that the incident occurred prior to the policy being activated, contradicting Sanderlin’s claim and constituting a false or fraudulent insurance submission.
Sanderlin has an arraignment in Bucks County Common Pleas Court set for July 21. She is free on her own recognizance.
If convicted, Sanderlin could face fines, restitution, and potential jail time under Pennsylvania's Insurance Fraud Statute.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
