Driver Angry Over 'Lemon' Charged With Trashing Car Dealership
PORTSMOUTH, NH (CBS) — David Cross says he bought a lemon from a Portsmouth car dealership.
He got so angry when Portsmouth Used Car Superstore wouldn't take it back, he used it to ram seven other cars on the lot.
"I just snapped. I didn't know what else to do," Cross told WBZ-TV.
Cross' wife bought the car Monday for $2000. It didn't take long to learn the van needed a lot of repairs. But what really bothered him was the odometer. It didn't work.
"We went to my mechanic he said bring it back. We called the insurance company they said we're not going to insure it."
WBZ-TV's Lauren Leamanczyk reports
Cross claims that when he called the dealership, "they told me I was stuck with it."
That's when he exacted his revenge. He caused about $25,000 in damage.
Portsmouth Used Car Superstore declined requests for an interview, but a representative from the dealership said they sold the car to Cross "as is."
They had planned to sell the car wholesale and never tested the odometer so they didn't know it wasn't working. The dealership says it had no obligation to refund Cross' money.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Bernice Corpuz reports
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Cross' anger could result in prison time for seven felony charges.
"I think everybody can understand the frustrations that all of us experience, but he certainly shouldn't have taken matters into his own hands. These are crimes and they have to be handled as such," said Capt. Mike Schwartz of the Portsmouth Police Department.
Cross regrets what he did. But, he says, he sent a message and will fight the charges in court.
"You can't do this to people, hard-working people. It's not fair."
