Woman's new Lexus wrecked by valet

Updated: Wednesday, 23 Nov 2011, 7:14 PM CST
Published : Wednesday, 23 Nov 2011, 3:17 PM CST

• David Scott

AUSTIN (KXAN) - When you place your car in the hands of a valet, you expect to get it back in one piece.

That isn't always the case, as one frustrated Austin woman found out.

Rosa Rivera went to an event at the Bass Concert Hall in October and let Central Texas Valet park her car. But her pleasant night turned into a nightmare.

"They took us to the parking garage to find our car and it was crashed against a utility pole," Rivera said told the KXAN Tipline. "Everythiing was splattered all over."

Her car was a new Lexus with only 2,000 miles on it.

Valet parking companies are required by law to carry full insurance, but Rivera's dealings with Central Texas Valet owner Corey Evers went downhill quickly.

"You'd expect like any other car accident their insurance calls you, provides you a rental car, they fix your car, you get your car back," Rivera said. "It didn't work out that way."

Rivera said Evers never even paid for her to get a loaner. "He said he would but he never showed up with his credit card."

Rosa then called him back, saying, "He said to talk to his lawyer, I wasn't able to talk to him anymore. I had to get a lawyer once he brought in his lawyers and we were given the runaround."Evers told KXAN that the his company did everything that was required of it and that the rentail car company mishandled the loaner-car arrangement.

Central Texas Valet says on its website: "Our insurance coverage is the most up-to-date and all-inclusive available to the industry."

Self-insured for the first $10,000 in repairs, Evers sent Rosa's Lexus to Big Boys Collision, a shop he used, where they wrote her a repair estimate of $7,000.

But she had the car moved to a shop her dealer recommended, Berli's Auto, where they said the damage was much more severe, possibly totaled.

Berli's General Manager Chad Kiffe said, "Unfortunately. It's a good car, 2011, but with the extent of the damage it's borderline." He adds, "Sometimes when you get into structural components, depending on the insurance company's guidelines, they may decide to total it."

Finally Evers' primary underwriter, Firemen's Insurance stepped up and did declare Rosa's car a total loss. She's expecting a settlement check from them, saying she learned a lesson, "I'm going to research whoever is doing the valet services at an event, and more than likely we'll self park."

Fatal police crash probed Results expected after the new year

More than four months have passed since the night a Wichita Falls police officer struck a car with his patrol cruiser at high speeds, killing two teenage girls inside the other vehicle.

Department of Public Safety investigators released earlier this week a report indicating Teddie Whitefield had Xanax and diet pills in his system before the fatal wreck. No criminal charges have been filed to date against Whitefield, who was indefinitely suspended from the Police Department in August.

A source in the Wichita County District Attorney's Office told the Times Record News on Wednesday the investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

The source said the district attorney's office did not expect that investigation to be completed until after the new year.

Whitefield appealed his suspension and has an arbitration hearing with city legal officials set for February. He is being represented by attorney Craig Driskell of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas.

Whitefield was suspended for several alleged violations of Police Department regulations — including using the prescription medications without reporting them to a supervisor and not providing documentation of medical clearance to use them while on duty. Officials also cited him for traveling at excessive speeds, making no reasonable attempt to avoid the collision and not wearing a seat belt.

Whitefield is seeking lost pay and benefits. In his appeal letter to city officials, Whitefield's legal counsel claimed the charges against him were "legally insufficient to support the imposition of any penalty or punishment and legally insufficient to support a conclusion that the appellant was guilty as charged in the charging instrument."

It also considered his suspension "clearly excessive considering all the mitigating circumstances."

An initial accident report listed speed as a contributing factor in the wreck but also noted the use of a cellphone inside the victims' car at the time of the wreck and Whitefield's use of the prescription medications as possible factors, as well. The driver of the girls' car reportedly did not have a valid driver's license.

The report showed that at about 9:30 p.m. June 30, Whitefield's patrol car struck the girls' car on its passenger side while traveling at least 80 mph along Jacksboro Highway — nearly twice the posted speed limit. Police logs showed Whitefield was not responding to an emergency call at the time.

The impact resulted in the deaths of 18-year-old Yeni Lopez and 13-year-old Gloria Montoya. It was later revealed Lopez was about eight months pregnant.

Whitefield received lesser injuries and was treated at a hospital and released shortly after the wreck.

Written by Matt Ledesma.

Texas Drivers Hit Roadblocks After Filing Auto Insurance Claims

A The Dallas Morning News analysis of the Insurance Department’s consumer complaint figures showed that 11 of the 25 largest auto insurers in the state — those with more than 100,000 policies — had a complaint index that was above average last year. 


Complaints that drivers filed with the state included such practices as delays in processing claims, “low-ball” offers and settlements, denial of claims and liability disputes. Alex Winslow of Texas Watch, a consumer group active in insurance issues, said unethical companies have an advantage because they undercut regular insurers on price largely because of the claims payment practices. 


“The business model is they drag their feet and make it as difficult as possible for the claimant to collect in hopes they will take a low-ball offer or give up,” he said. 


I’m concerned the Insurance Department is not being aggressive in policing market conduct. They should be exercising more authority over these companies that are using questionable practices.”  


TERRENCE STUTZ, The Dallas Morning News  11/14/2011


Click here to Learn the 5 Things You Must Do If You Are In A Car Accident.

BMW Recalls Vehicles for Potential Fire Hazard

By Jonathan Welsh

Getty Images

Certan BMW X5 vehicles are included in a new recall.

BMW North America is recalling certain vehicles from the 2008 through 2011 model years to correct a possible problem with overheating circuit boards that could cause fires.

In a document filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the car maker said the recall affects a total of 32,084 vehicles including 5 Series, 5 Series Gran Turismo, 7 Series, and X5 and X6 sport utility vehicles. The models involved have eight- or 12-cylinder turbocharged engines.

In these vehicles, the company said, a circuit board for the electric auxiliary water pump can overheat. This can lead to a fire in the engine compartment.

Under the recall, BMW said its dealers will replace the auxiliary water pump free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during november. Owners may contact BMW customer relations and services at 800-525-7417.