Prosecutors may have lost in these cases, but their fight must go on. For too many years, fraudulent insurance claims have siphoned money out of the pockets of not only Lawrence residents but also those living in surrounding communities. Everyone who drives paid higher insurance premiums to cover the cost of fraud.

Since the crackdown began five years ago, 345 people have been charged in connection with schemes to defraud auto insurers. The attack on fraud has resulted in substantially lower insurance premiums for city residents.

In April, a grand jury handed down indictments against eight local individuals, including popular Lawrence attorney Socrates De La Cruz and Haverhill chiropractor Troy Wheelwright. The indictments claimed the two were part of a conspiracy to stage phony accidents to defraud insurance companies.

Last week, Superior Court Judge Howard Whitehead threw out the indictments against De La Cruz and Wheelwright after finding that prosecutors had failed to show probable cause that a crime had been committed.

"The court's decision reflects there was an absence of probable cause, and absence of evidence to charge Mr. De La Cruz with any of the indictments," said defense attorney Hank Brennan.

Similar motions to dismiss charges against two others indicted along with De La Cruz and Wheelwright were denied.

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