CENTREVILLE, Ill. — A truck repair shop has closed it's doors following an I-Team investigation. We've just learned that A&E truck center in Centreville is out of business.
This comes just after the I-Team revealed how some trucks and RV's left at that center came back damaged and even worse off than they started.
Now, more former customers are coming forward to share their similar experiences.
"This is embarrassing to know I got stung by this guy," said Jack Anderson, owner of Custom Pool LLC in Belleville.
Anderson said he took a chance on A&E Truck Center and it's owner: Eric Zimmerman.
When two of Anderson's business trucks needed engine work and new brakes, he dropped them off at A&E Truck Center, and paid Zimmerman a $1,000 deposit.
"He said he would have it done in days. Not months. Days," said Anderson.
A few weeks later, he got one of his trucks. But Anderson said his brakes didn't work properly, and his old brake lines weren't removed. It would take several more months, and the help of an attorney, Anderson said, to get his second truck back. Anderson said it was literally in pieces.
"The motor was sitting in the back. The windows had been down about five months. He had me hostage. He had the truck. It wasn't drivable. I had to get it towed out of his yard," said Anderson.
Anderson was eventually awarded a court judgement against Zimmerman of $15,000. Anderson said he ended up with only about $5,000 which barely covered his legal fees.
"Everyday I needed that truck. It's lost revenue. I had to buy a new truck," said Anderson.
Former A&E Truck Center customer Brian Lewis dropped two of trucks off at the center. He had to wait almost a year to get them back.
One car had been serviced, but he said the other one was in pieces.
"One was destroyed and the engine was in the back. My Duramax train was still messed up," said Lewis. He said he had to spend thousands to have much of the work redone.
Lewis said the long delay had made his life even more difficult. During that time he was recovering from back surgery and needed the transportation.
"I really needed it going back to physical therapy, going to Chesterfield to see my back surgeon. I needed it," said Lewis.
Each of these former customers said it cost them between $10,000 to $20,000 to fix the mess they were left with.
Now they're warning others.
"He does nothing. And he turns your life upside doing it," said Anderson.
Zimmerman told the I-Team Tuesday that he had sold his business and had no comment on these new claims.
We also spoke to the landlord of Zimmerman's business.
He said Zimmerman was served an eviction notice and will have to leave the property by Aug. 8.
