(KRON) — A San Jose man was sentenced Friday to serve 60 days in jail for trying to profit from his own road rage crash and submitting a bogus claim to his auto insurance company, prosecutors said.
Ken Pham Tran, 53, told Progressive Insurance Co. that the damage to his white Jeep Wrangler Rubicon was caused by an accident.
“It happened because he repeatedly slammed on his brakes in front of a semi-truck he thought had cut him off on the freeway. Finally, the truck driver – unable to stop – struck the back of the Jeep,” the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office wrote.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen said, “Road rage. Reckless driving. Insurance fraud. This person made a lot of bad decisions. Count to 10 before you commit fraud in Santa Clara County.”
Tran was convicted by a jury last month after a trial for felony insurance fraud, felony vandalism, and reckless driving.
On January 28, 2025, Tran was driving on Highway 101 near the Alum Rock Avenue onramp when he got into a road rage incident, captured on the commercial truck’s dashcam.
(Dash cam video image courtesy California Department of Insurance)
Furious because he felt he had been cut off, Tran caught up to the semi-truck at the Story Road underpass and “brake checked,” slamming on his brakes just in front of the truck, according to prosecutors and dash cam video. The Rubicon swerved back and forth to stay in front of the truck, dash cam video shows.
A witness called 911 to report Tran’s reckless driving. Tran also called 911 and reported the truck driver for a hit-and-run accident. In his statement to police, Tran lied and said he was stopped for traffic when he was rear-ended, the DA’s office said.
“Road rage doesn’t pay,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. “Crimes like these jeopardize public safety and increase insurance cost for consumers and businesses.”
Progressive Insurance will receive $1,200 in restitution. Bill Jacobsen Trucking will receive $3,001.
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