Taking a Close Friend for a Ride

Added: 2026-05-09

[00:00:02]This is the plaintiff, Lloyd Thompson.

[00:00:04]He says he's known the defendant for 20 years and can't believe it's come down to this, a lawsuit. He loaned the guy his car. The louse got into an accident, damaged another car, got a ticket, and never told him about either. The only reason he found out was because the city towed his car off the street because of all the fines and fees from the last 2 and 1/2 years. Sheesh. some people. He's suing for $1,646.93, the amount he's owed.

[00:00:39]>> This is the defendant, Dree Worvin. He says he never got a ticket in the plaintiff's car that he was aware of.

[00:00:46]And as far as the accident goes, there wasn't one. He can't believe the plaintiff allowed the fines to build up over 2 years. The guy never told him about any notices he received in the mail. So he thinks he owes nothing. He's accused of taking a close friend for a ride.

[00:01:08]>> Litigants have been sworn your honor.

[00:01:09]>> Thank you, Douglas. Okay. Lloyd Thompson.

[00:01:12]>> Yes. You are suing your longtime friend Drae Worvin for $1,646.93 for towing and storage fees when your car got towed due to a ticket he got when he borrowed your car and for car damage that he committed in your car to another car. Talk to me and tell me why is Mr. Worvin using your car?

[00:01:39]Uh they did bought it to uh go to the airport to pick up someone and I loan in my car and um that was it.

[00:01:51]>> Well, how long have you two known each other?

[00:01:52]>> Oh, over 20 years.

[00:01:54]>> Over 20 years. How long have you two known each other?

[00:01:56]>> Over 40 years.

[00:01:58]>> Over 40 years.

[00:01:58]>> We we 20. All right. And why were you loaning him? How many times did you loan him the car? And why were you loaning him the car?

[00:02:07]>> Many times. He just borrowed it to go to the airport to pick up someone.

[00:02:11]>> That's the only time he ever borrowed it.

[00:02:13]>> Yes.

[00:02:13]>> So, how many times did he borrow it to go to the airport?

[00:02:15]>> Quite a few times.

[00:02:16]>> How what's quite a few? Five or 50?

[00:02:19]>> Within 10.

[00:02:20]>> Okay. Now, uh when did you first find out that he'd gotten a ticket and not told you? after my car was towed away and um I checked with the precinct and I said to um find out what happened. They told me that uh the car was towed away because a ticket was owed on it from um March 30th, 07.

[00:02:44]>> 07. Now, when was your car towed?

[00:02:46]>> August 18th.

[00:02:48]>> Okay. Can I see the paperwork from the the fact that they towed your car?

[00:02:53]How long did it take you to take the car out of storage?

[00:02:56]>> Next day.

[00:02:57]>> Next day. Okay. And then they told you that the reason it was towed was over one unpaid ticket.

[00:03:04]>> Yes.

[00:03:05]>> Says judgment $39928.

[00:03:09]How is that for a parking ticket?

[00:03:10]>> That is for um >> Let me see the parking ticket. That is for what?

[00:03:16]>> The the ticket at the um >> talk to me.

[00:03:20]>> Ticket and tow charges together. I see that there's a ticket. I see that there's a toe. Do you have anything that links these two? In other words, you said they told me it was because of this ticket, >> right?

[00:03:30]>> The ticket is a ticket for $115. The judgment is $399.98.

[00:03:38]I understand that a ticket of $115, if you ignore it, could end up having service charges and whatever else. Can I see that the $39928 is for this ticket? Do you have some other paperwork that links these two?

[00:03:51]Meanwhile, >> when you How many times did you borrow his car? While you're looking for that, can you help him if he needs help?

[00:03:57]>> Okay.

[00:03:59]How many times did you borrow his car?

[00:04:01]>> A whole lot of times. We've been friends for a long time.

[00:04:03]>> How many times you borrow his car?

[00:04:05]>> About 30, 40 times.

[00:04:07]>> Okay. And why are you borrowing his car?

[00:04:08]Why don't you drive your own darn car?

[00:04:10]>> I didn't have a card when I borrow his car. And even if I have my car, >> you get a ticket.

[00:04:14]>> I get several tickets. But >> you get several tickets.

[00:04:16]>> Yeah. You say that like in your defense, you've gotten several. You can't be expected to keep them all straight.

[00:04:21]>> No, no, no, no, no. I get tickets when they come pay and pay and pay the ticket. I did not know I get a ticket on that car. I >> How do you not know? Who else has an interest in in in your ticket on your windshield? It's a parking ticket, right?

[00:04:33]>> Yes, but I I didn't see a ticket on the car the time.

[00:04:36]>> Did you get this ticket?

[00:04:37]>> No.

[00:04:37]>> How do you know?

[00:04:38]>> Because I didn't get a ticket there. I didn't not know the ticket.

[00:04:41]>> Okay. But were you driving the car when the car received the ticket?

[00:04:44]>> From the >> Yes, it's possible. And why do you think it's possible?

[00:04:47]>> Because the restaurant that the car park in front is a restaurant that the both of us go to >> that the both of you go to.

[00:04:53]>> Yeah, we go to the restaurant together.

[00:04:55]>> Okay. So, why do you think it's you who got the ticket then? Cuz in your answer to the complaint, you make it sound like it's like, yeah, it's probably me who got the ticket. It's a restaurant I go to. You didn't say it's the restaurant.

[00:05:04]The two of you got, >> you know, >> when did you cook that up?

[00:05:07]>> No, there's a possibility that I am the one who get the ticket. There was no denial with that when I found out where the where the where where the car parked.

[00:05:13]>> Okay. What happened in 3 years? Didn't you get a single notice from the government saying, "Hey, you still owe this ticket that would like clue you in that there's a ticket out there?"

[00:05:21]>> No, I don't remember getting any.

[00:05:23]>> Nothing at all.

[00:05:24]>> No, I don't remember getting >> You know, they sent it. I mean, cuz they want their money. They send out a notice that there's a ticket. Do you have any other paperwork regarding the ticket or No.

[00:05:33]>> No.

[00:05:33]>> Okay. All right. Now, you're also suing him for car damage. Tell me about that.

[00:05:37]>> Okay. Um there was an accident that he uh was involved with the car and a city vehicle which he never mention anything to me about >> an accident with a city vehicle.

[00:05:49]>> Right.

[00:05:50]>> When did that happen?

[00:05:52]>> 10909.

[00:05:54]>> How did you when did you find out about it?

[00:05:56]>> Because I got a letter from the um citywide administration service.

[00:06:01]>> Let me see that.

[00:06:03]And you got the letter when? in May of 2010. So you got you FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS BEFORE YOU GOT TOWED.

[00:06:13]>> Before the vehicle was towed.

[00:06:14]>> So when you get this letter, do you call him?

[00:06:16]>> Yes, I did call him the night.

[00:06:18]>> Okay. And what did he say?

[00:06:20]>> He said, "Well, I got one letter like that, too. And that's all."

[00:06:26]>> No.

[00:06:26]>> Well, did he tell you what happened?

[00:06:28]Whether he'd had an accident and how the accident happened, why he hadn't told you about it until then?

[00:06:32]>> He said he said there was no accident of such. So he for according to what he tells you that night, he has no idea why he's getting the letter, >> right?

[00:06:40]>> Okay. What's going on? Did you hit a city car?

[00:06:43]>> No, I did not hit a car.

[00:06:44]>> Did the city say you hit a city car?

[00:06:46]>> That's what they said in their head.

[00:06:47]>> Do you remember why they're saying that?

[00:06:49]Do you Is there anything you can >> I can remember? I I remember it well.

[00:06:53]>> Oh, you do?

[00:06:54]>> I remember it well.

[00:06:55]>> What happened?

[00:06:56]>> I was parking his car.

[00:06:58]>> Of course.

[00:06:59]>> Right.

[00:07:00]>> Of course. and um parking the car and then by the time I get out of the car, finish parking, the lady in the car jump out the car and start to shout, "You hit my car. Hit my car." She talking to I said, "No, you can't talk to me. You're not talking to your husband."

[00:07:14]>> Oh, she can only talk to her husband like that. She can't talk to the guy who just hit her car that way.

[00:07:18]>> No, I did not hit the car.

[00:07:19]>> Okay. Why does she think you did?

[00:07:21]>> I can't.

[00:07:22]>> Did you bump the car while you were parallel parking?

[00:07:25]>> I can't imagine why she going like that.

[00:07:26]Okay.

[00:07:27]>> She just start that that to talk to me that kind of way. I did I resent that.

[00:07:31]>> Okay.

[00:07:31]>> So when I told her that you're not talking to her husband, you understand I mean she said I'm going to call said do what you want to do. The police came and then you know you present your driver's license and stuff like that. So why should she say Mr. Worvin there's no accident? I don't know what I'm going to do. There's no accident but since >> police said that can I see the police report?

[00:07:49]>> No I I don't have a police report.

[00:07:50]>> Did he write one? If the police ride one, I would not know if the police him supposed to have a police report because >> HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW YOU'VE HIT THAT SOMEONE SAYS YOU HIT THEM WITH HIS CAR.

[00:08:01]I MEAN, DID YOU EVER GO BACK TO HIM and say, "Listen, there was an incident. I didn't really hit her. She thinks I hit her." Did you say that to him?

[00:08:08]>> Your honor, I told him that. Said, "Tommy, THERE'S NO ACCIDENT."

[00:08:11]>> NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. THAT'S NOT MY QUESTION. I WANT YOU TO LISTEN CAREFULLY to my question. on the day that that happened. Okay. Which was October 9th of of 2009.

[00:08:22]When you you do eventually return his car, right? You don't just keep it the whole time. All right. When you return his car, do you say to him, "Listen, >> a lady says that I hid her car with your car, but I really didn't. But she works for the city and she called." But did you mention all that to him?

[00:08:36]>> No, >> I did not.

[00:08:39]>> Why not?

[00:08:40]>> To be honest with what should I do?

[00:08:41]There was no hitting in the car. There was no reason for me to call. DON'T YOU THINK THAT THE OWNER OF THE CAR might have a right to know that there were got police involved and that it was a city car and they may have an issue in the future?

[00:08:51]>> If there was an accident, >> if there was an accident, I naturally would tell him, but there was nothing.

[00:08:57]>> So, you hid that from him. YOU DIDN'T EVEN TELL HIM. THERE'S NOTHING THAT HAPPENED.

[00:09:01]>> I DIDN'T HIDE ANYTHING FROM >> WELL, IT SORT OF SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE YOU ALSO GOT THAT TICKET AND THAT because you're a hire.

[00:09:06]>> I didn't hide. No, only >> All right. What ended up happening with the city? The city is making a demand for payment, but did they end up suing you? the they they um intend to sue.

[00:09:15]>> They intend to >> But here are the um the documents showing the damage on the car.

[00:09:20]>> Let me see. What are you laughing at?

[00:09:23]>> What are you laughing at?

[00:09:24]>> Present a DOCUMENT THAT >> HE'S PRESENTING. DO YOU WANT DO YOU GET IT or do you not get it? The only thing the man is presenting is not like a cartoon drawing that he did that you can laugh at. He's presenting all of the documents from the city. All right. Over stuff you got him in trouble on while you were driving the car. WHAT'S FUNNY ABOUT THAT? YOUR CAR THAT HE HAD BORROWED. DO YOU THINK you would be laughing? I don't think so.

[00:09:47]>> No, it's not a laughing matter. But how they going to present an accident um photograph when there was no accident?

[00:09:52]>> I don't know. You could tell it to the judge in that case when you get sued.

[00:09:55]>> Okay.

[00:09:59]>> Is this what they sent you? The photo copies like that, >> right?

[00:10:02]>> Cuz I can't see anything in these pictures anymore than you can. I can't see anything. This these are useless. I need real pictures.

[00:10:09]>> Okay. Court is in recess.

[00:10:11]All rise.

[00:10:12]>> Welcome back to the people's court.

[00:10:14]Harvey Leven here. So, does the plaintiff have to eat the cost of this towing?

[00:10:18]>> Yes, sir. He does have to eat the cost of this towing.

[00:10:20]>> Why?

[00:10:20]>> He knowingly knew that there were three tickets on the car, and he didn't get he didn't resolve them within the time.

[00:10:25]>> Well, there were tickets in the car, but the plaintiff is saying, "This guy should have paid the tickets. Why should I have to pay for the towing?"

[00:10:30]>> Oh, he should totally pay for the towing because if you know the tickets are there, then you have to speak up and get your cash. But doesn't it seem unfair that this guy, this defendant, was the one that got the tickets in the first place?

[00:10:42]>> Well, yeah, but then he knew for so long.

[00:10:45]>> He didn't know for so long. I get your point. A little complicated going inside the courtroom.

[00:10:49]>> Okay, here's the deal. There are two parts to this lawsuit. And we're going to take the second part first. The second part is that you're suing for damage that he that the city of New York says he did with your car to a city car and they want you to pay and so they're sending you a demand for payment. Okay.

[00:11:12]Now, if in fact there ends up being a judgment against you for that money, you absolutely have the right to have him pay it. The thing is that I can't make that decision now because I have no idea if they're going to be able to prove that in fact there was $891 worth of damage. In other words, that part of your lawsuit is premature because nothing's happened yet. They haven't filed a lawsuit yet. They've just sent a demand letter. Okay? It's too early. So, I'm going to dismiss that part of your lawsuit without prejudice for you to bring it up again when the time is right after you are actually out something and the city of New York has actually filed against you and won a judgment against you. Do you understand what I am saying?

[00:11:57]Yes. Okay. Now, let's talk about the first part of your lawsuit, which is you got towed and there's storage fees and tow fees and all kinds of fees involved because you say he got a ticket that he ignored. He basically he acknowledges from the beginning, yeah, that's a place I GO TO. NOW ALL of a sudden, if that's a place we go to, but at at the time he answered this complaint, he said, "Yeah, yeah, that's a restaurant I go to. I probably got that ticket, but it wasn't on the windshield." You know how tickets are always flying off the windshield without people ripping them off, >> right? Okay. I don't believe that the ticket wasn't on the windshield. But I'll tell you what else I also don't believe. I also don't believe that you never knew that there was a ticket that was unpaid. Okay? Because the city sends out notices. They want to get paid. So, they send out notices. All right, let's give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you somehow didn't receive the notices that the city sent about his ticket in all those years.

[00:12:53]You know how I kept telling you, why is this $399?

[00:12:57]That's not the amount of the ticket. And then you kept looking confused and I said, help him if you have to. And you're like, no, that's all the proof I have. That's all they gave me. Well, the reason I took a recess is because I question everything. That's my job as a judge. So, I went back there and guess what I discovered? You know what I discovered, right?

[00:13:17]>> No.

[00:13:18]>> No. All right. You had another ticket that you fought in court and you lost and you had to pay $174 in January of 2010. Does that sound familiar?

[00:13:33]>> Yes.

[00:13:34]>> Yeah. But you didn't.

[00:13:37]You didn't, right? Yeah. So, you got towed for two tickets. His that got ignored and yours that got ignored. Got it. I think you know that because when you go to find out, so I'm a little offended that you didn't think I'd discover it, that you underestimated me. But be that as it may, there are two tickets that cause the toe. So, I am going to divide the amount fairly between the two tickets.

[00:14:07]You pay your ticket that you've ignored and he pays his ticket that he's ignored. And because the car was towed for both tickets, you split the rest of the money. Therefore, I am ordering the defendant to pay you the amount of his ticket plus half of all the storage and fees and fines and tow for a total of $564.30.

[00:14:30]Verdict for the plaintiff. That's my judgment.

[00:14:33]>> Thank you.

[00:14:36]>> All right. So, it's a 50/50 split on the toe. Step right over here, sir. Come on over here and just come on. Tell me how you feel about the outcome here.

[00:14:42]>> I don't like the fair.

[00:14:44]>> No.

[00:14:44]>> Why?

[00:14:45]>> Because I mean, if you get a ticket and you get a notice, it be on you now.

[00:14:50]>> Well, you don't want to ignore the ticket or did you ignore it or hide it?

[00:14:53]Which one?

[00:14:54]>> I didn't get a ticket. I don't know anything about the ticket. Not question I ignore.

[00:14:57]>> Well, judge didn't believe that. Well, >> what about the friendship here?

[00:15:01]>> I don't know what's going to happen to the friendship because after almost 50 years of friendship and we going to go through all this kind of stuff. It going to be a strange >> Can you put it behind you? You can.

[00:15:09]>> We going to have to do that.

[00:15:10]>> You're going to reach out.

[00:15:11]>> Yeah, we're going to do that. We're going to do that.

[00:15:12]>> You're going to reach out.

[00:15:13]>> Yeah. All right. Okay. Nice.

[00:15:15]>> All right. Head right down here.

[00:15:17]>> Okay. So, sir, come on in here. Um, step on in here. You thought you could hide that second ticket. You underestimated the judge, didn't you?

[00:15:23]>> No, I I I didn't try to hide it really because I paid it.

[00:15:26]>> I didn't hear you mention it. No, I didn't think it was necessary. Oh, >> what about your friendship with this gentleman?

[00:15:33]>> Um, >> he's your old buddy, right?

[00:15:35]>> Yes, old buddy. But I think the friendship is over.

[00:15:37]>> Do you really? What if he reached out and said, >> "Hey, come on. Let's make let bygones be bygones and let's go have a beer." What would you tell him?

[00:15:44]>> No, he's he has been dishonest.

[00:15:47]>> That's it.

[00:15:48]>> Over the years, three years, not telling me anything about the ticket accident, not telling me anything about it.

[00:15:54]>> That's it.

[00:15:54]>> That's it, Bobby. So, real quick, there are two ways of a judge dismissing a case. Dismissing with prejudice, which means it can never be brought again, and without prejudice, which means probably the lawsuit is premature, which is the case here. That will do it for this case litigance for the next case on the way into the courtroom right now.