Protestors Picket Cedar Lake Gas Station After Fuel Mix-Up Damages Truck Engines
(CBS) -- Protestors were picketing Saturday morning outside a Cedar Lake gas station, attempting to get the owners to pay for repairs to their vehicles after a fuel mix-up led to their engines needing thousands of dollars in repairs.
The stood outside the Luke Oil station at 133rd Avenue and Morse Street, as people passing by honked in support.
George Robinson wore a reflective vest, part of his work uniform as a tow truck driver, who says he's been unable to work for six weeks because his one truck is out of commission and the company responsible is refusing to pay for the $10,000 in damage.
Robinson owns A-1 Towing in Cedar Lake. His one truck, he says, is his livelihood.
Podcast
He says it was February when he filled up at the station and then his truck started running funny. Eventually, he learned that the delivery driver for the station mistakenly pumped regular gas into the diesel tank.
Another Hammond tow truck operator had two trucks sidelined and a landscaper lost his dump truck. In all, Robinson says he's aware of 22 vehicles that were affected.
Robinson says he can't afford the repairs and says he's about to lose everything over the situation.
The company, he says, blames the delivery driver who pumped the wrong fuel into the tank and the delivery company, he says, is also refusing to cover the cost of his repairs.
The manager of the gas station declined to comment.
A number of people who have used Robinson's services stood with him outside the gas station, holding signs reading "Make Luke Pay," and "Luke, Pay For Your Mistakes."
They said it was wrong what happened to Robinson and the others urged the company to do the right thing.
