- You were in an accident? - Yes, Ma'am.
- Was the car fixed? - Not at all.
Why not?
Why didn't get fixed? Cause she popped up to my home.
And caused drama
And you hit them.
- That was my-- Oh, sorry. - Shh.
Am I wrong about that?
- No, Ma'am. - No? Then don't speak.
This is Judy Justice.
Salena Brown and Trayon Dupree
are suing their customer Breana Freeman
for rental car damage and lost wages.
Court come to order.
All rise.
Have a seat everyone.
Hello, Judge. Case 2174 Brown, Dupree versus Freeman.
Thank you. You're welcome.
Okay, who's the business person?
It's us. That would be you?
- Yes. - Your name is...
Mr. Dupree.
Are you a couple?
No, Ma'am.
Just business partners.
In what business?
Um, car rental.
How do you know each other?
Um, we met from military.
So you're not a couple, you're just in business together.
I just want to know. Don't both smile.
I just wanna know.
Let's go.
- We're friends. - Um, yeah, we're friends.
We're friends.
This is not gonna happen for me.
We--we're not a couple.
We know we we're friends, you know.
And we decided to go in business together.
Where do you live?
Houston, Texas.
Where does she live?
Houston, Texas. Wait a sec. shut.
Oh, Houston, Texas.
Does she live in the same place that you do?
In the same home?
In the same place... building?
Oh no, we don't.
Who do you live with? - Myself.
Who does she live with? - Herself.
When did you meet in the military?
Maybe... 2021.
Not really sure exactly what month.
Now if you're in business together
is the only business you had this one car that--
Yes we was just starting.
What kind of work do you do?
Crane operation.
Full-time? - Yes.
And what about you?
I work at a call center.
So that's your primary source of income?
That's correct. Yes.
And you decided to do this car rental as sort of a side gig?
We-- Yes.
We had just got out the military so we didn't have a job then.
So we did it for a primary source of income.
Well you can't have one car that you rent as a primary source of income.
We have our, um, military disability check as well.
So we have that and we--
How long were you in the military?
Almost nine years. And you?
- Eight. - Where did you serve?
Northfolk, Virginia and Mayport, Florida.
Jacksonville, Florida.
So you were never out of the United States?
Yes, I went overseas for deployments but never stationed.
Oh... but where did you go on your deployment?
Um, Bahrain, Dubai,
Greece, Italy, and all over.
Did you like it?
Yeah. It was a great experience.
Yeah. - It was good.
- Yeah. What about you? - Only Virginia.
Only Virginia? - Only Virginia.
How did you become disabled in Virginia?
I have no idea.
You said you're on a military disability,
so you know I could understand if you deployed someplace else.
Mm-hmm.
I have no idea.
You have no idea what?
Why? Um, I guess became disabled.
Just mentally I guess. Mental.
Well you applied for disability from the Army.
- You said what? - What?
I said it mentally, mentally, mentally. Mental.
Just my own curiosity. I have to see how this is going.
How much is your disability benefit from the Army?
$2,000. A month?
Mm-hmm.
"Mm-hmm" is not an answer. "Yes" is an answer. What about you?
The same.
And is your disability mental or physical?
Both.
Well, your physical disability doesn't inhibit you
from being a crane operator.
No, not really.
Great.
I love America.
Okay. So now you are out you're both on disability...
from the Army.
You don't have a job yet.
So you decide to buy a Mercedes.
Mm-hmm. That's correct.
What year Mercedes?
It's a 2014.
And how much was it?
$22,000.
Is there a note on the car?
Yes. For how much?
Um, $350.
Per month? Yes.
How much of a loan did you take out?
Twenty three. One of them. It's--it's not too much.
Car was only $22,000
- The car was $22,050-- - I don't know the exact number
that the car is right now--
But it was between $21,000 and $23,000 that we owed on it.
And I took the loan out. Where is the car now?
- In Texas. - With whom?
She has it right now.
What was the rental agreement that you had with Ms. Freeman?
You didn't form a business corporation or anything else, am I correct?
Yes, we have a LLC.
And the sole asset is this car?
Yes.
You bought the car when, give me the date again.
I think it was in July.
July of 2022? - That's Correct.
And when did you rent the car to the Defendant?
August 27th.
Do you have the rental agreement?
Just give her those.
I--I don't have the original agreement because it was in my car that was stolen.
But I made her take a picture with her driver's license
and send it to me.
So this is a copy and this is, um...
before she signed it.
And I have after I signed.
That's literally the same thing.
- Yes. And so, you know-- - Let her let her talk.
Okay. What I'd like you to do is take a look at this, Ms. Freeman,
- and tell me if you have it. - Mm-hmm.
It's the same one she had. - Mm-hmm.
Okay. And this is the entire agreement, is that correct?
Yes, Ma'am. Okay.
I don't know why you are arguing.
It doesn't appear. It doesn't appear-- Madam.
It doesn't appear as if you are losing this case.
So I don't know why you feel compelled
to make it hostile.
Salena Brown and Trayon Dupree
claim their customer Breana Freeman
owes for damages to their Mercedes rental car.
Breana is counter suing for lost wages.
So there's nothing in this agreement that prevents
her from allowing somebody else to use the car.
And the agreement specifically says that if anything happens to the car,
she is responsible to use her insurance.
- And you have a policy number... - Correct.
...your policy number for insurance.
Okay. So your boyfriend was driving the car on what date?
Um, the first.
The first of what?
September.
And I have the, uh, accident report if you want that.
Not yet. I may, not yet.
But there was an accident and the car was damaged.
Correct.
Anybody have a photograph of the damage to the car?
I have it on my phone if you would like to see.
I would.
While we're waiting, Your Honor, I found the LLC filing
that lists both of them as the, um--
- Principals. - As the principals
and but they list the same address for both of them.
Their residents are listed as the same.
Oh really? Hmm.
Interesting. Wanna say that a little louder?
I just said I found both of them listed
as managing members of the LLC
with the same address for both of them listed
- The-- - I lived in a different city.
I worked at Target, I was in Florida.
We don't live, we don't live together. That's what y'all...
- It just lists. - Yeah, that's just LLC address.
It's in my boyfriend's phone because the number that's on the contract
was his phone at the time.
So if you wanna see-- I had a picture right here.
And I have multiple pictures as well. Of the car.
- That's correct. - Well that's what I'm asking you for.
I said I wanna see pictures of the damage to the car.
You were in an accident?
Yes, Ma'am. Okay.
And you agreed in this contract... Mm-Hmm.
...that if you were in an accident,
- Breana, that would be you? - Yes.
"Will use her insurance.
If anything happens during the rental
Breana will be responsible to pay out of pocket."
Correct. You signed that?
- Correct. - Okay. So you were in an accident.
I don't care who's fault it is cause it doesn't have anything to do
- with fault picture of the car. - Mm-hmm.
It's...
It's another paper picture. It's a couple pictures
so you can just... as well.
Stand up.
Somebody hit you in the rear?
No, in the front.
Oh is the front of the car. They ran a stop sign.
What? They ran a stop sign.
I was coming up. They were coming across.
Well whatever.
You got damage in the front of your car.
In my mind that that usually means that you hit somebody.
No, they came across from me. They ran a stop sign in front of me.
And you hit them.
Okay, well that's what it usually means is that you hit somebody in the front.
Okay. And that was on September 1st.
- Correct. - Did you notify your insurance company?
- Yes. - Okay. I'd like to see proof of that.
So these are the, um, claims
the quotes they gave me to fix the car.
Um, also this is when, um, I let her know, Ms. Brown,
what was covered under my policy.
I'd like to see it.
So that's that.
It shows what's covered in my policy.
Was the car fixed? Absolutely not.
No. - It was not?
Not at all.
Why not?
Um, because I didn't talk to Trayon. Mr. Dupree, however you say his name.
Until the day, September the fifth.
All of my business was going through Mrs. Brown.
So I don't know if he just found out what happened
but when I called the insurance on the first
they let me know that he was the owner of the vehicle.
I said okay. They said they'll have to go through everything through him
so that the car can get fixed cause I wasn't the title holder.
I said that's fine. I said okay. Due to the fact that the car got wrecked
I let her know that once the car goes to Mercedes-Benz to get fixed,
they give a loaner vehicle.
I let them know everything that was covered.
Why didn't get fixed cause she popped up to my home and caused drama.
I lost my job behind it, so forth and so on.
What does that have to do with your responsibility?
Your boyfriend had an accident with a car,
you have a contract that says you're gonna fix it.
Because Trayon said it wasn't enough.
What do you mean, "Trayon said it wasn't Enough."
I sent him the quote for their adjusters
and he said that wasn't enough to get it fixed.
- And I have that text message from Trayon. - Just a second.
I'd like to see your quote from your company--
It's up there.
Where did you take the car for them to send it adjuster
to take a look at the car?
I had to take pictures of the car and upload it to the app they sent me.
And that's how they got those quotes.
They have an estimate here of $3,000.
Mm-hmm.
Did you get an estimate to fix the car?
Yes, we got an estimate. I'd like to see it.
- Yes, in person. - In person.
That was just the picture and when I talk--
Okay, got it.
May I interject a little bit?
Because Breana kind of lying and she raised her right hand.
So Breana didn't notify us
that the car was wrecked until September 3rd.
She told us that she was in the hospital with her dying father.
Listen, listen, listen to me.
- I don't care. - She lied about
I don't care. - She lied about how the car got wrecked.
I don't care.
It doesn't matter how the car got wrecked.
She has an obligation to fix it.
And to be quite honest with you this is a Mercedes
and this car can't be fixed for $2,900.
Can't, he's absolutely right.
This car can't be fixed based upon that damage.
And so he wasn't prepared to say here?
No it wasn't that at all.
So once I guess he got involved in the business
I was talking to Ms. Brown, she said she had a rental
the next day or something in that manner.
And I said, "Okay well let me find a Mercedes-Benz
that can actually get your car in so you can get this loaner car
for you to rent your car out."
Also in the midst of that I was gonna pay for the rental
that she had that was so much wanted to cancel on her.
So I said okay, Mercedes has a loaner car and can accept your car at the time.
Well they couldn't fix this car for $2,900.
So that's what they gave me and they said that
if it went to a Mercedes-Benz shop, they will honor that.
I don't know that at all.
- That's what they tell me. - I've don't--I don't--
But regardless of the price of getting the car fixed
I was gonna pay cause I know that we was at fault for it
quote unquote it was my contract that I signed.
Okay. - That wasn't an issue.
Well then you can take that up with your insurance company.
Correct. I I didn't have a problem with paying and--
You can take it up with your insurance company.
She lied about how the accident happened. So they denied--
All right. Don't... Listen to me.
You started to say that before
I told you I don't care.
She's just lying and cost her so much money.
Like-- Madam, listen to me.
You okay?
Mm-hmm. Good.
Salena Brown and Trion Dupree
have accused their customer Breana Freeman
of damaging their Mercedes rental car
after her boyfriend was in an accident.
He has an estimate that looks like a pretty legitimate estimate.
They bought the car, it's a relatively new car
they paid $22,000 for it.
Your boyfriend wrecked it and he has an estimate
which looks reasonable for $8,000 to fix it.
And if your insurance company is dragging their heels
and not paying what they should
you take that up with your insurance Company.
It wasn't a, I never got that quote by the way.
Which quote? - The quote that you-- The $8,000.
I never got that.
Well I'm gonna show it to you. Oh. It's probably be true.
$8,319.
Her Insurance denied it. because she lied.
She lied about how the accident happened.
So they denied-- Why don't you listen to me?
You started to say that before, I told you I don't care.
My insurance-- Just a second.
- I told-- - Your insurance what?
Denied, never denied the claim.
I have, I Have proof I talked to him, I have proof.
I have the email where he said they denied it because--
- They definitely denied it. - Because I told them to stop
cause she popped up at my house
Because she lied about the accident
because we tried to get it through our insurance as well.
I don't know why you are arguing. I'm not, it doesn't appear.
- It doesn't appear, Madam. - She's lying!
It doesn't appear as if you are losing this case.
So I don't know why you feel compelled to make it hostile.
I don't understand why.
She's just lying and cost us so much money like--
Madam.
Listen to me.
You okay? - Mm-hmm.
Good. Your car is in this condition at whose house?
At your house?
- That's correct. - And the car since the accident
which was mm, four months ago.
Has it been rented?
No.
Is it drivable?
Yes it's drivable.
When was the last time you drove it?
Last week.
When was the last time you rented it?
Breana. Since Breana.
Have you been making the payments on the car?
Yes, Yes, ma'am.
Who's been making the payments?
Both. What is the monthly payment?
$350. Hmm?
Three fifty. You told me that.
The insurance up to date?
So we had insurance, we had commercial insurance on it.
But when I put in the claim and told them what happened
because we did get lied to about what actually happened
and we didn't get informed of the accident till the third.
But when I put in the claim, I put it in how they told us what happened
and my insurance they found a police report before we did
and they seen what actually happened.
So they felt like we was trying to do fraud.
So the guy, he told us it's better for us to pull the claim
because it's gonna look like it's fraud on our part.
So they dropped us from the Insurance.
So they dropped you after?
Yes. After the accident?
- Yes. - Can I see the police report now?
Well this police report indicates that the other person was at fault.
That was my-- Shh-shh.
Oh sorry.
Am I wrong about that? No, Ma'am.
No, that don't speak.
This police report. Did you see it?
Yes. Got it right here.
I'd like to see what you have.
This police report clearly says,
that unit one, which was the woman, ran a stop sign.
That's what it says. Why would you insurance company drop you?
Because we gave the story that she told us.
So it looks like we're doing fraud.
- Yeah. - And they basically,
ignorance isn't an excuse for them, so.
Actually that's pretty outrageous.
We was told it was a hit and run.
She told us it was a hit and run so we told them that
she said she was in the hospital and it was, it got hit
- and then we found the report. - May I say something?
She waited until the day that we had a rental to tell us
we had another rental on the third that afternoon.
She told us that morning. On the third?
- That's correct. - And the accident was on the first?
That's correct. Okay.
I think you have to get your car fixed.
I think that the fact that your insurance company
canceled your insurance when it was clear...
clear that...
he was not at fault in this accident
at least according to the police report,
is actually pretty outrageous that they canceled your insurance.
Is there any insurance on the car now?
Yes, there's regular insurance on it.
- Not commercial anymore? - No, not right now. Cause not rented it.
Judgment for the Plaintiff in the amount of $8,000.
We're finished. Thank you very much.
This court is adjourned.
I'm glad we won and everything.
I felt like no we deserve more than we got
but at the end of the day we won the case.
I'm not mad at the decision.
I'm fine with it regardless cause, um,
I know I was trying to get it fixed. It was just a timing issue.
She lied about everything. She literally lied about everything.
She pulled out a gun on me and everything, like--
Lying. I don't have anything to lie about. It's all in my evidence.
Like, she told me to come basically get the car
and the keys in the mailbox and when I went over there to get it,
she pulled a gun out on me cause I took my wig off.
She posted stuff saying I lied about things I didn't...
I pulled my gun out on her, like girl I don't have a gun like at all.
I think that they put it inside so they checked them
but they said they couldn't go inside so they checked their body and.
They checked them. They wasn't able to prove that they had a gun.
Cause. Yeah so.
She said it was a gun, it was a bat.
And like I had to get checked twice by the police officer
and it was like she came over here looking for problems
cause the car was gonna get towed.
It's definitely a risk, but you know
make sure we're prepared for stuff like that from now on.
No hard feelings supporting Black businesses
but it is what it is.
You know what you know, it's just facts.
I think I should just be grateful.
I'm just gonna be quiet and just be grateful.
You know, I'm sitting here trying to think of what the takeaway is on this case
and I can't think of the takeaway.
I mean I'm having a hard time as well
but I think accountability and responsibility could be a good one.
The Defendant knows what she signed,
that anything any damage to the car
from her boyfriend, her, anyone,
while the car was in her possession, is on her.
But what we see a lot of is emotional issues
come into play when people know their responsibility.
But then there's an emotional issue.
"She came to my job, she harassed me she came to my house and yelled at me."
whatever it is.
And they think they can use that as a justification
to get out of their accountability.
And although I'm not promoting
going to someone's house for some self-help,
you know that's not a reason for you not to follow through on your responsibility.
- You have a contractual responsibility. - Yes.
Which she was clearly aware of. So, maybe that.
That's the takeaway, maybe that. You're right.
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