On today’s Troubleshooters, a retired military man says he paid an employee at Johnston’s Transmission on South Staples approximately $3000.00 in May to fix his vehicle. But here it is mid-August, and Johnston’s still has it.
Alex Gomez works at Johnston’s Transmission.
Three months ago, Nicanor Lopez says he took his vehicle to Gomez for repairs.
Lopez has the work order showing he’s already paid Gomez $1900.00.
Plus, almost $1000.00 more just to drop the transmission to find the problem.
He’s still waiting to get it back.
And based on a recent conversation he recalled with Gomez, it doesn’t sound like that will happen soon.
“And he told me, he goes, you’re not gonna get your car back. The only way you’re gonna get your car back is you’re gonna pay me between $3-5000.00, and I’m gonna be the only one to fix it or you’re not gonna get your car. You’re not gonna see your car.”
The man who runs Johnston’s, Sol, gave us another reason why Lopez’s car isn’t ready.
“Alex tells me that the man told him to stop working on it. So we stopped. We were working on it. So…”
In June, Lopez filed a small claims court case against Gomez.
But he says the court told him he has to get an affadavit on Gomez’s military status.
“I said, you know, I like to support veteran businesses. And he goes, I’m a veteran of the Navy. I was in the Navy for this many years. I believe 4 years. And I was like ok. He goes I wont do you wrong. He goes you can trust me,” Lopez recounted.
But Lopez questions that since these court documents show Gomez is a convicted felon.
In October 2000 he pled guilty to indecency with a child sexual contact.
“That’s my car. It’s been a year. The Protégé ? The Protégé. It’s been here a year.”
Today, while at Johnston’s, asking questions about Lopez’s vehicle, the Troubleshooters heard Estella Boyes’ story.
It’s similar to Lopez’s about doing business with Alex Gomez.
“No credit card. No debit card. Strictly cash, because the thing is he doesn’t want to pay taxes, and he doesn’t want child support to come after him because he’s already in arrears for back child support.”
Lopez says he’s told his story to CCPD and the DA, and says they both told him this is a civil matter.
We’ve done stories on Gomez in the past.
Brought his name up to District Attorney Mark Gonzales as well, who said something needed to be done.
But none of that has seemed to convince Alex Gomez to do business differently.
