Local News
Fairfield auto dealership under investigation
FAIRFIELD — In the midst of filing for bankruptcy and mounting customer concerns, the Bossier Country auto dealership in Fairfield is being investigated by the Freestone County district attorney’s office for possible criminal violations.
On Friday, Freestone County District Attorney Scott Martin told the Herald-Press his office has received roughly 200 pages of documents from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles relating to approximately a dozen consumer complaints filed over the course of the last six-to-eight months.
“They (the complainants) had transactions with Bossier Country,” Martin stated, “in regards to purchasing or selling a vehicle.”
Those documents also have been forwarded to the state attorney general’s office, the Commission on Consumer Credit and the state comptroller’s office, according to Martin.
Martin declined to say when his office’s investigation may be completed, but did indicate it was a priority.
“It is something on the front burner for my office to get accomplished as soon as possible,” Martin said.
The district attorney stressed that the matter involving Bossier Country was merely at the investigative stage at this point.
“We’re not saying any criminal charges are coming,” Martin said. “...They deserve a fair shake like everyone else does. But just because of who they are, that doesn’t mean we don’t look at them.”
Under state law, any criminal charges would be filed against an individual.
Bossier Country filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 5 in a Waco federal court on the same day that the dealership and Chrysler were involved in a court hearing in the 77th State District Court in Fairfield.
Chrysler Financial was attempting to have the dealership shut down as a part of a lawsuit filed in late October. In the suit, Chrysler’s financial branch has maintained that the Fairfield auto dealership is delinquent on payments to the company, asking that it be able to seize vehicles and other property.
Chrysler Corporation has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy as part of its agreement with the federal government to receive bailout monies. As part of that agreement, Chrysler Financial must be split from Chrysler Corporation and cease operations by the end of 2011.
Freestone County is also part of the action against Bossier Country, indicating it is owed slightly more than $50,000 in taxes on vehicles and other items.
Due to the legal squabble between Bossier Country and Chrysler, some customers who have bought vehicles from the dealership say they have been unable to register their vehicles, forcing them to renew temporary tags every 30 days.
Efforts to reach a representative of Bossier Country on Friday were unsuccessful.
Bossier Country, which has operated for more than 20 years and is located on I-45 in Fairfield, remains open for business.
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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com
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