Editor's note: Contact7 seeks out audience tips and feedback to help people in need, resolve problems and hold the powerful accountable. If you know of a community need our call center could address, or have a story idea for our investigative team to pursue, please email us at contact7@thedenverchannel.com or call (720) 462-7777. Find more Contact7 stories here.
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. -- When a local rancher sent his pickup truck off to get repaired, he didn't expect to find it in a tow yard more than 10 months later.
Daniel Brooks said after he finally got the truck back, he realized it wasn't fixed and his insurance check for the $18,000 job was long gone.
Castle Rock Police confirm they are investigating two cases involving Douglas County Diesel, including the one involving Brooks' truck. Police say both cases involve motor vehicle theft but only one truck has been recovered.
The most recent complaint came in on November 25 involving a missing truck. Police said a 1995 green Dodge pickup is nowhere to be found after the owners dropped it off at Douglas County Diesel nine months ago. They said the owners of the vehicle tried to get it from the shop but it wasn't there.
"It’s had a massive effect on my personal life and my livelihood," said Brooks.
Brooks said his 2010 Ford F-450 broke down while he was towing horses to Utah back in January. He had just purchased the vehicle a couple months prior. He said the truck was towed to a repair shop in Elizabeth and then it went to Douglas County Diesel. Brooks said his insurance company cut a check for a little more than $18,000 to cover the repairs. That was in February.
"He had almost $19,000 to, I guess, to give me hope cause I knew if this was all a lie I was out the money. The check has been cashed," said Brooks.
During the following months, Brooks continued to check in with the repair shop to see when his truck would be up and running again. He said he talked with the owner, Chad King, numerous times and there was always a reason why the truck wasn't ready yet.
"Once the motor was in it had some issues, electric issues, is what I was told," said Brooks.
After months of getting the runaround, Brooks called Castle Rock Police to report his truck as stolen. He received a call from police a couple days later saying his truck had been located but it wasn't at Douglas County Diesel, they found it in a tow yard.
"It’s still in the shape it was when it was brought to Douglas County Diesel it appears, doesn’t run, won’t start," said Brooks.
Contact7 called King in an attempt to get his response, he said, "When my wife fell ill I told him I wasn’t going to be around for a few weeks... other than that I’ve got to talk with my attorney." Another reporter reached out before this story aired but he did not answer the phone or return any calls.
A business license search through the Colorado Secretary of State shows the license for Douglas County Diesel's is listed at delinquent.
As for Brooks, he is having to borrow money to finally complete the repairs to his truck and he doesn't want anyone else to end up in a similar situation.
"So I’m out that money, I know now," said Brooks. "He’s just a pretty believable guy."
