July 23, 2002
(From: www.injuryboard.com) A Federal jury
awarded $705,000 last week to a Maryland truck driver
who was wrongly accused of stealing $138 worth of
gasoline from a Virginia truck stop. Michael Anthony
Stamathis was an employee of Alabama-based J-Mar
Trucking in December 2000 when he stopped at the
Wytheville Flying J Travel Plaza along Interstate 81 for
gas.
Stamathis attempted to use his J-Mar fuel card at the
pump (the company had an account with the truck stop)
but it was not accepted. After fueling, Stamathis moved
his truck to a neighboring lot and attempted to enter
the travel plaza and pay for the gasoline. Unknown to
Stamathis, the clerk called the Wythe County Sheriff's
Office when he saw him leave the parking lot without
paying. He was arrested later that evening.
After the charges were dropped three months later,
Stamathis filed suit
against the Flying J truck stop and the store's manager,
alleging he was unjustly accused of stealing the gas.
