Image

Spokane Man Charged with Stealing $113,271 in Workers’ Comp Benefits

Jan. 16, 2013
Doyle Ronald Wheeler has been charged in Spokane County Superior Court with first-degree felony theft for illegally collecting workers' compensation benefits

Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) charges that Doyle Ronald Wheeler, 36, of Spokane, Wash., collected benefits from 2008 to 2011 on a workplace-injury claim for a neck and back injury. L&I stopped benefit payments after an investigation determined that Wheeler was operating his own businesses – The Pensmith, Ammo Head Design and Ammo Head Hydrographics – while receiving the workers’ compensation benefits.

The Spokane Valley Voice wrote a story on Wheeler citing his business success while he was receiving time-loss benefits," commented Elizabeth Smith, manager of L&I’s Fraud Prevention and Compliance Program. "This kind of fraud damages the system. It steals from everyone – taxpayers, employers who pay workers’ compensation premiums and the injured workers who really deserve benefits.”

Wheeler claimed he was unable to work after a slow-moving pickup truck backed into him at his workplace, Toby’s Body and Fender. A videotape of the accident showed Wheeler exhibiting no indication of injury after contact with the vehicle. Videotapes taken after the accident by L&I investigators show Wheeler arriving for his physical therapy appointments, where his shoulder appears to sag and his movements stiffen as he approaches the office. Shortly after his physical therapy appointments, Wheeler resumes moving around with ease.

Wheeler was arraigned in Spokane County Superior Court, and faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000. The court also could order him to repay the more than $113,000 in benefits collected through fraud.

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.

Sponsored Recommendations

April 25, 2025
Environmental audits should be a core part of your EHS program regardless of whether you choose to pursue ISO 14001 certification.
April 25, 2025
Streamline EHS inspections. Conduct, track, and manage inspections effortlessly with customizable checklists, real-time reporting, and actionable insights.
April 25, 2025
A winning business case is based on the ROI of the project. The essential first step is determining your EHS costs today.
April 25, 2025
The use of QR codes can greatly simplify observation, near miss, and incident reporting and improve the quantity and quality of data. The more safety information that is collected...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!