Attorney General Takes Legal Action Against Six Defunct Used-Car Dealerships

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has filed lawsuits against six used-car dealerships across the state that failed to provide vehicle titles to numerous consumers as required by law.

The legal action targets dealerships in Butler, Fairfield, Fayette, Licking, Stark and Wood counties for alleged violations of Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act and Certificate of Motor Vehicles Act.

“Buying a used car without knowing the dealer’s reputation is a roll of the fuzzy dice,” Yost said. “Reading online reviews and checking for a history of complaints could spare you the headache of a bad deal.”

Consumer Protection Payouts

The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Section has distributed $312,690 from the Title Defect Recision (TDR) fund to assist consumers who experienced title problems after purchasing vehicles from these dealers. Ohio law mandates that titles must be provided within 40 days of a vehicle purchase.

Local Impact

Of particular interest to northeast Ohio readers, Elias Eberly and his Canton-based Automax of Canton dealership are among those named in the lawsuits. The Attorney General’s office resolved five title-related complaints involving this Stark County business, paying out $46,055 from the TDR fund to affected consumers.

Dealerships Facing Legal Action

The lawsuits name the following dealerships and their operators:

• Timothy Thacker and Sirius Motors (Monroe) – $86,319 paid to resolve six complaints
• Debra Jeffers and Highway 22 Auto Sales (Lancaster) – $39,121 paid to resolve ten complaints
• Shawn Robinson and Robinson Auto (Jeffersonville) – $62,454 paid to resolve ten complaints
• Renato Jovanovski and Ohio Luxury Imports (Reynoldsburg) – $71,858 paid to resolve fifteen complaints
• Elias Eberly and Automax of Canton (Canton) – $46,055 paid to resolve five complaints
• John Stauffer and Prestige Family Cars (Perrysburg) – $6,883 paid to resolve three complaints

Consumers who believe they have been victims of unfair or deceptive practices can file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Section at www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or by calling 1-800-282-0515.