Cox appeals from convictions for making a false report of a crime to a police officer
Cox was charged with violating section 817.234, Florida Statutes (1981), which provides in part:
(l)(a) Any person who, with the intent to injure, defraud, or deceive any insurance company, including, but not limited to, any motor vehicle, life, disability, credit life, credit, casualty, surety, workers’ compensation, title, premium finance, reinsurance, fraternal benefit, or home or automobile warranty company:
1. Presents or causes to be presented any written or oral statement as part of, or in support of, a claim for payment or other benefit pursuant to an insurance policy, knowing that such statement contains any false, incomplete, or misleading information concerning any fact or thing material to such claim; or
2. Prepares or makes any written or oral statement that is intended to be presented to any insurance company in connection with, or in support of, any claim for payment or other benefit pursuant to an insurance policy, knowing that such statement contains any false, incomplete, or misleading information concerning any fact or thing material to such claim,
is guilty of a felony of the third degree. ...
In this case the evidence was sufficient to sustain a jury’s determination that Cox violated section 817.234 by making telephone calls to two agents for Nationwide Insurance Company and reporting the theft of a trailer he knew had not been stolen. Later he called the claims agent and told her he wanted to withdraw the claim. Nationwide never paid any money to Cox or any other person because of the claim.
At the close of the trial defense counsel urged the court to give the jury an instruction on attempt, regarding the false insurance claim count. The trial judge said he did not think attempt was a lesser included offense of this crime because the crime itself encompassed acts which would be attempts. He cited Silvestri v. State,
We are unable to distinguish this case from King v. State,
Recently the Florida Supreme Court held in State v. Sykes,
In this case, the substantive crime clearly encompasses acts which logically are prepatory or preliminary to presenting a false claim to an insurance company. Even more clearly than section 817.49, Florida Statutes (1981), section 817.234 encompasses attempts.
Accordingly, we reverse Cox’s judgment based on Count II. Attempted making of a false and fraudulent insurance claim is a nonexistent crime in Florida, since attempt is encompassed in the substantive offense itself. On remand Cox can be retried for the offense set forth in section 817.234. Double jeopardy will not bar a new trial. Sykes; Achin; Jordan v. State,
AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART; AND REMANDED.
Notes
. § 817.49, Fla.Stat. (1981).
. § 817.234, Fla.Stat. (1981).
. These cases held that double jeopardy did not bar reprosecution where the defendant was convicted of a crime which although technically nonexistent, was in all elements equal to the main offense.
