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Houston car shop owner sued for allegedly assaulting customer
FOX 26 Reporter Sherman Desselle spoke with the customer about what happened.
HOUSTON - One Houston car repair shop owner has been arrested and now sued after a customer claimed he was attacked inside the business.
Earl Morris, a customer who went to retrieve his repaired vehicle, alleges he was assaulted by the owner, Al Kassar.
Morris tells FOX 26 that on Jan. 31, following a morning car accident, his vehicle was towed to Enzo Car Care for repairs.
Morris says by the afternoon, the repairs were completed, with the understanding that the costs would be covered by his insurance policy.
When returning to collect his vehicle later that day, Morris claims Kassar became confrontational and demanded additional payment.
"He eventually told me if you want the keys, just come and get them," said Morris. "I walked around the corner to look for where my keys were, and when I looked back over, he was pointing the gun directly in my cheek."
Morris also claims Kassar then allegedly hurled racial slurs and threats at him and struck him with the gun's butt. Houston Police officers arrived at the scene after Morris contacted them, leading to Kassar's arrest on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
"It just plays in my mind continuously that I could've died," Morris said.
Edward Festeryga, Morris's attorney, condemns the violence and supports his client's filing of a civil lawsuit against Enzo Car Care.
"There is no place in Houston, Texas or anywhere in our society for racially charged assault," said Mr. Festeryga. "Hate and violence needs to be called out, addressed and stopped, period. Mr. Morris is filing this lawsuit to address something that no person should ever have to experience and to set an example for his son and community. We’re with him as he processes this traumatic experience and begin prosecuting this matter on his behalf—and for the safety of our community."
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Morris, a father of two, expresses relief at returning home safely to his family. He stresses that he was merely a customer seeking to collect his vehicle and became an unjustified victim of violence.
Al Kassar, who posted bond, declined to comment on the incident or the pending lawsuit when approached at the shop. His defense attorney in the criminal charges also declined to comment and says they are still in the early phases of the case.
Morris and his legal team await access to the surveillance footage from inside the shop, currently under investigation by HPD.