SALEM Car dealership files libel lawsuit over public sign

The dealership says a customer's allegations are damaging its reputation.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- A city man who displayed a sign to air his gripes about his new pickup truck may be getting more than he bargained for -- the dealership where he bought the vehicle is suing him.
Stadium Chevrolet-Cadillac Inc., 292 W. State St., Salem, filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court against Ronald Burrows, 2275 Oak St.
Stadium says Burrows libeled it by putting a sign on his pickup and driving it around the area.
The hand-lettered message, affixed to the truck's tailgate, says that the 2003 Chevrolet S-10 was bought from Stadium and that the dealership has refused three times to fix serious steering problems with the vehicle.
The sign concludes with "Where are you going to buy your next truck?"
Burrows was unavailable Tuesday to comment.
In the lawsuit, the dealership said Burrows bought the vehicle from Stadium in December.
In February, Burrows came to the dealership and said the vehicle's steering was stiff.
Nothing found
The vehicle was inspected by the dealership, and the steering was found to be operating correctly, the lawsuit states.
It goes on to say that Burrows returned two more times in ensuing weeks with the same complaint.
Each time, the steering was inspected and no defects were detected.
The lawsuit says the dealership offered to let Burrows drive a similarly equipped S-10 pickup, but Burrows refused.
Earlier this month, Burrow's truck was spotted in a parking lot across the street from Stadium bearing the sign criticizing the dealership, the suit says.
Stadium contacted Burrows and asked him to remove the sign, but he refused "and continues to drive ... around Columbiana County with the sign attached," the lawsuit says.
Burrows' actions constitute libel, the lawsuit alleges, because his sign makes a false statement and he has displayed the sign publicly.
The sign has damaged Stadium's business reputation, the lawsuit states.
What dealership wants
The dealership is asking the court to order Burrows to stop displaying the sign and to determine the amount of damage it has caused the business.
Stadium also is asking the court to order Burrows to pay its attorney fees.
The dealership is being represented by Roth, Blair, Roberts, Strasfeld & amp; Lodge, Youngstown.
The case is assigned to Judge C. Ashley Pike.