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Not sure if any of this is new, but saw it on another site.
GALVESTON - Lufkin auto dealer Andy House had no idea a video camera was running as his $1.2 million Bugatti Veyron EB plunged into a La Marque lagoon two years ago.
House told police that a seagull made him veer off the Interstate 45 feeder road and into 3 feet of salt water.
The video taken by a passing motorist, which was posted on Youtube, and information from a confidential informant led Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Co. to accuse House in a federal lawsuit of intentionally driving his car into the lagoon in order to collect the $2.2 million insurance on the car. It had a 1,001 horsepower engine capable of propelling it to 253 mph.
House, who sells exotic cars, denies the accusation and has countersued the insurance company for failing to pay as promised. His attorney was not immediately available for comment.
House told police that he was retrieving his dropped cell phone from the floorboard and looked up to see a seagull heading straight for him. The insurance company says the video shows no seagull and no attempt to brake as the Bugatti swerves off the road and into the water. The lawsuit also says that House allowed the engine to run for 15 minutes after the car entered the water, causing further damage to the engine.
House explained the delay in shutting off the engine by saying he was being bitten by mosquitoes, the lawsuit says.
A confidential informant told insurance investigators that House offered to pay the informant to steal the car and burn it so that House could collect the insurance money, the lawsuit says. House also offered to pay the informant to remain silent during the insurance investigation, the lawsuit says.
The informant told investigators that House's business associate, Lloyd Gillespie, conspired with House. Gillespie, also a defendant in the lawsuit, lent House the money to buy the Bugatti and was listed on the policy as the payee, the lawsuit says.
Gillespie has denied the allegations in court filings. His attorney, Tod Philips, declined comment.
House told police that a seagull made him veer off the Interstate 45 feeder road and into 3 feet of salt water.
The video taken by a passing motorist, which was posted on Youtube, and information from a confidential informant led Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Co. to accuse House in a federal lawsuit of intentionally driving his car into the lagoon in order to collect the $2.2 million insurance on the car. It had a 1,001 horsepower engine capable of propelling it to 253 mph.
House, who sells exotic cars, denies the accusation and has countersued the insurance company for failing to pay as promised. His attorney was not immediately available for comment.
House told police that he was retrieving his dropped cell phone from the floorboard and looked up to see a seagull heading straight for him. The insurance company says the video shows no seagull and no attempt to brake as the Bugatti swerves off the road and into the water. The lawsuit also says that House allowed the engine to run for 15 minutes after the car entered the water, causing further damage to the engine.
House explained the delay in shutting off the engine by saying he was being bitten by mosquitoes, the lawsuit says.
A confidential informant told insurance investigators that House offered to pay the informant to steal the car and burn it so that House could collect the insurance money, the lawsuit says. House also offered to pay the informant to remain silent during the insurance investigation, the lawsuit says.
The informant told investigators that House's business associate, Lloyd Gillespie, conspired with House. Gillespie, also a defendant in the lawsuit, lent House the money to buy the Bugatti and was listed on the policy as the payee, the lawsuit says.
Gillespie has denied the allegations in court filings. His attorney, Tod Philips, declined comment.
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