HERO supervisor charged with workers’ comp fraud
A supervisor with the state Department of Transportation’s HERO unit was arrested Monday and charged with felony insurance fraud after investigators say he lied about the source of an injury.
Robert Sims, 39, allegedly told the State Board of Workers’ Compensation that he hurt his knee falling out of a HERO — Highway Emergency Response Operator — truck.
But investigators with the board’s enforcement division say Sims, of Atlanta, was injured while applying for another job, with the Clayton County Police Department. Sims’ right knee was hurt during an agility test, the board said in a statement.
He faces two additional counts of making false and misleading statements for the purpose of obtaining workers’ compensation. Sims was arrested at HERO headquarters and is being held at the Fulton County Jail.
About the Author
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
