DALLAS -- A judge on Friday ruled against Deion Sanders in
an auto repairs dispute after the former Dallas Cowboys player
failed to show up for court.
Sanders may have to pay more than $5,000 after the judge ruled
in favor of an auto-body shop for an unpaid paint job and repairs
made in 2000 to Sanders' 1985 Mercedes convertible.
The unpaid bill amounted to $4,420. Judge Juan Jasso also
awarded Ralph Castro, owner of All Pro Collision of Dallas, $750 in
attorney fees, The Dallas Morning News reported Friday on its Web
site.
Castro said he thought Sanders would pay the repair bill as he
had in the past, but when he didn't, Castro sued last year.
"I didn't want to sue Mr. Sanders," Castro said. "I respect
Mr. Sanders."
Sanders has 10 days to appeal. If he doesn't, he has 30 days
after that to pay Castro the entire $5,170 bill.
An attorney for Sanders would only say that his client believes
he did not approve the repairs.
"Our pleadings (in court files) deny that the work was done on
our behalf," said attorney Larry Boyd.
It's the second lawsuit against Sanders involving auto repairs.
He prevailed in July in Dallas County civil court when a judge
ruled that he did not have to pay more than just $1,500 he said he
owed on a 2001 car repair bill.
A vintage car restoration company had claimed in a lawsuit that
Sanders refused to pay $4,265 for repairs to his 1961 Lincoln
Continental convertible. The owner of the shop claimed Sanders
wanted to pay only $1,500 of the bill because Jesus had informed
him that was all he needed to pay.
"I'm not hurting for money," Sanders said at the time. "And
let's be honest. A $4,000 bill, I could have written a check a long
time ago. But it's the principle. I'm tired of getting ripped
off."