Complaint Review: Michael Ralph - Ralph Pontiac Honda

Suit filed in dispute over price of truck


Meaghan M. McDermott
Staff writer

(January 5, 2008) A Greece woman has filed a lawsuit against Ralph Pontiac Honda over a dispute last winter over the price of a new truck.

According to the suit, filed Dec. 21 in state Supreme Court, Deborah A. Leyland went to Ralph Pontiac Honda , 3939 W. Ridge Road, to pick up her new steel blue 2007 Honda Ridgeline on Dec. 30, 2006. When she arrived, she was pulled aside by a salesman who told her because of a math error on her signed contract, she'd have to pay $2,000 above the contract price or the dealership wouldn't turn over the truck.

Leyland refused to pay more, according to the suit, and told Ralph Pontiac sales manger Michael T. Ralph that she would take her copy of the contract to her lawyer.
According to the suit, Ralph then snatched her copy away from her and crumpled it up.

As she tried to leave, according to the suit, Ralph shouted obscenities and pushed her against the exit door. Police were called and Leyland who had started hyperventilating and complaining of neck pain was taken to Park Ridge Hospital where she was treated and released.

Ralph pleaded guilty in September in Greece Town Court to a charge of harassment stemming from the incident and sent Leyland a written apology.

His attorney, Matthew Parrinello of Redmond and Parrinello, said Ralph categorically denies that the altercation over the Ridgeline ever became physical.
"Our position is that he reacted verbally to her outrageous actions within the Ralph Pontiac building," he said. He also said his client has not yet been served with the lawsuit, so he could not comment.

Leyland's suit, filed by Sheldon W. Boyce of Brenna, Brenna and Boyce, alleges Ralph assaulted and battered Leyland, negligently caused serious and permanent physical and psychological injury to her, inflicted emotional harm, unlawfully imprisoned her and breached a valid contract by refusing to sell her the 2007 Ridgeline for the agreed-upon purchase price of $36,271.50.

Boyce said his client is seeking monetary damages for her injuries as well as punitive damages and reimbursement for more than $4,000 above the Ralph Pontiac price that she later paid for a new Honda Ridgeline at a different dealership.
MCDERMOT@DemocratandChronicle.com
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Betteryearin08
Rochester, New York
U.S.A.