A Memphis man’s car was impounded as evidence after he was shot in November. A month later, his vehicle was accidentally auctioned off, and he’s now begging the city of Memphis to make things right.
Dewayne Dodson, a father of two, reached out to WHBQ-TV.
“They started trying to work with me and figure something out when you all contacted them,” Dodson said.
It is a case WHBQ-TV has been investigating for more than a week.
“I was injured,” Dodson said. “The victim of a crime back in November.”
Dodson was shot at a sports bar on Lamar Avenue. He said he was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
"Once I woke up, my wife told me that they towed my truck," Dodson explained.
Memphis police told Dodson his 2005 Chevy Trail blazer was evidence. A detective said there was an investigative hold on it, and Dodson would get it back once they wrapped up the investigation.
He called one day in mid-December to see if he could get some of his personal items from the car. The woman on the phone said they had auctioned off his car for $1,000.
“When I contacted the detective, he didn’t know either,” Dodson said. “He was taken by surprise as well.”
The Memphis Police Department called it an “oversight” and an “unfortunate occurrence.” Dodson was told to file a claim with the city.
He did, and he was given $4,000 in return.
“They made a mistake,” Dodson said. “They sold my vehicle. I (still) owe (payments) for that.”
The amount he owes on the car is a lot more than $4,000, and he has the paperwork to prove it. His last statement shows he still owes more than $11,000 on a car he no longer possesses.
Dodson has been unable to work since late November. He’s still recovering from the shooting.
His SUV was the family car, so he’s been paying for family members’ gas and Uber rides to help get his wife and children around.
