ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ill. — A man dubbed 'the vanishing mechanic' is facing prison time.
Eric Zimmerman, 46, of Red Bud, Illinois, is charged with felony deceptive practices for falsely depositing checks and writing a bad check.
Zimmerman previously owned A&E Truck Center in Centerville, Illinois. He currently runs a truck repair business called Mud Hog Performance in Red Bud.
The 5 On Your Side I-Team has been tracking the controversial Metro East mechanic for more than a year.
RELATED: 'Vanishing mechanic' leaves trail of angry customers in metro-east
Dozens of customers have accused Zimmerman of tearing up their vehicles and in many cases, not returning for years, if at all.
After the I-Team's initial investigations last summer, the Illinois Attorney General launched their own investigation.
Zimmerman turned himself in to police on Friday and was released after posting his $45,000 bond.
The St. Clair County Sherrif's Department said the investigation is still ongoing.
OTHER LOCAL STORIES: