California Driver Sentenced for Insurance Fraud After Crash Caught on Dashcam

A California driver was sentenced for filing a fraudulent insurance claim after dashcam footage showed him involved in a road rage incident that caused the accident.

Kenneth Pham Tran, 54, of San Jose, was sentenced after dashcam footage showed him initiating a road rage incident, which resulted in him being rear-ended by a semi-truck. Tran attempted to profit from the accident that he caused by filing an insurance claim to collect an undeserved payout, according to the California Department of Insurance.

An investigation into the incident was launched after a referral from San Jose CHP, which first investigated the collision and reported the incident on January 28, 2025. The initial investigation found Tran had filed a claim with his insurer, stating the back of his white Jeep Wrangler Rubicon was damaged after it was rear-ended by a semi-truck while he was stopped in traffic. His claim he also stated the driver of the semi-truck refused to pull over and exchange insurance information, according to the CDI.

It was later discovered that a witness placed a separate 911 call reporting they had to swerve out of the way of a white Jeep Wrangler Rubicon that was driving recklessly and “break checking” a semi-truck on the freeway. The witness reported that the driver of the Jeep began swerving in and out of lanes to keep the semi-truck behind his vehicle. Tran reportedly held the brakes several times before the semi-truck struck the back of his vehicle. The witness stated it looked as though the semi-truck would not have been able to prevent the collision.

The road rage incident was captured on the semi-truck’s dashcam. Investigators obtained the footage and found evidence that Tran had initiated the crash because he felt he had been cut off by the semi-truck. The footage also corroborated the account of the witness who called 911.

Tran was found guilty by a jury on one count of felony insurance fraud, one count of felony vandalism and one misdemeanor count of reckless driving. Tran was sentenced to 60 days in county jail, two years of probation and was ordered to pay over $4,000 in restitution. The case was prosecuted by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.