Gettysburg Man Charged with Insurance Fraud After Filing Claim Before Policy Effective Date

Gettysburg resident, Chase Lee Montgomery, 35, faces serious allegations following a state-led investigation. Charged with felony fraud, Montgomery is accused of filing a deceptive insurance claim worth $29,228.78 for a crash that occurred hours before his vehicle insurance was active.

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The charges, filed on December 16, 2024, by the Insurance Fraud Section of the Office of the Attorney General, revolve around an incident on August 19, 2023. Montgomery reportedly caused a three-vehicle collision at the intersection of Iron Stone Hill Road and Hess Farm Road in York Township, where he failed to stop at a stop sign.

The criminal complaint highlights that Montgomery secured a policy for his 2021 Honda Pilot from the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) later that same day at 1:33 p.m., which only went into effect the following day. Despite this, Montgomery filed a claim shortly thereafter, asserting that his vehicle was totaled and required towing—services purportedly conducted by his father-in-law.

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Investigators were prompted to scrutinize Montgomery’s claim after discrepancies arose during the policy application review. Further inquiry by USAA revealed that the vehicle had indeed been towed on the day of the accident, though Montgomery had initially provided a different account of the events leading to the vehicle’s damage.

Montgomery, who identified himself as a police officer during the investigation, offered conflicting stories regarding his whereabouts and the sequence of events during subsequent interviews. His claims included being involved in a separate accident in Baltimore City, which he alleged occurred the day after the York Township crash—a statement contradicted by lack of official documentation and his own inconsistent recollections.

Following a thorough review, USAA denied the claim, and Montgomery was released on $10,000 unsecured bail pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for December 26, 2024.