EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – The arrest and charge of  insurance fraud against San Elizario’s mayor stems from an insurance claim and subsequent $11,000 settlement for a car accident outside her home that she later claimed was a hit and run,  according to court documents obtained by KTSM.

San Elizario Mayor Isela Reyes was arrested Tuesday, Jan. 10 and charged with insurance fraud of more than $2,500 and less than $30,000, which is a state jail felony.

The incident in question happened on March 6, 2022, when an ex-employee of Reyes crashed into her vehicle, a Cadillac CTS that was parked outside her home.

According to court documents, Reyes told the man, identified as Oscar Cantos, not to worry about the crash because “that’s what insurance is for.”

Reyes made a recorded statement to her insurance company stating she didn’t know when the damage to her car had taken place or who had hit her, according to court documents.

About six weeks later, the insurance company paid Reyes more than $11,000 including $700 for a rental car.

According to court documents, she also falsely reported the circumstances of the crash to the San Elizario town marshal, stating that the crash had been caused by a hit and run driver.

In September, court documents state Reyes called Sheriff’s Office Commander Ryan Urrutia and expressed her frustration over her ex-employee, who she accused of posting information on social media about the crash. She told Urrutia that she had reported the crash as a hit and run to help her ex-employee out.

She was arrested by Sheriff’s Office detectives who are assigned to the FBI West Texas Border Corruption Task Force.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the alleged offense took place before she became mayor.