Complaint Review: Pinellas Auto Body - Clearwater Florida

On 1/31/08 I was choking to death on a small white piece of chocolate while driving my car. I tried to take a sip of coffee, that didn't help. I died. I hit another car and it was either the impact of hitting the car or the airbags deploying or both that dislodged the chocolate and got me breathing again. Ambulance & fire trucks came. Then police.

My 13 year old son and I were taken by ambulance w/ neck braces on stretchers to the Emergency Room. We were miraculously fine. The Officer came to the Hospital, I asked him if he had my car keys (which has my house key, Shop key, everything on it) He said he gave them to the Tow Truck driver from Pinellas Auto Body & Towing. After being released from the hospital, I had no way to get into my house OR my business.

I called Pinellas Auto Body number and some jerk named Tom said they were CLOSED and "I was welcome to pick up my keys when they opened @ 7:30am, the next morning." This was directly after he told me I sounded "hostile" 4 days later, on 2/4/08, I go to pick up belongings out of Pinellas Auto Body & Towing. They didn't even bother rolling up my car windows, most everything was soaked inside, money missing etc.

I talked to the manager at Pinellas Auto Body & Towing and told them I had to call a locksmith from the Hospital to come pick my lock at home to the tune of $65 so I could get inside. My 13 year old son was very upset, very distressed, not only having been in an accident but now worrying about how to get inside our home. I told the Manager they needed to be sure that since they're given the keys, to at least make sure the people in an accident (who are conscious) have necessary keys and I didn't want to see this happen to anybody else. Let alone anybodys child or children. The Manager told me "They are told to get the vehicles off the street immedatiately AND they can't be everyplace at all times" What an IDIOT.

First off, go ahead and get the vehicle off the street, fine but what's so hard about ASKING the person in the accident or asking the police officer to ASK the person in the accident if they need anything off their friggin keyring? How is that, in any way, shape or form "Keeing Pinellas Auto Body & Towing from getting the vehicle off the street"? It's not. All they need is the ignition key, if that.

Secondly, I never asked for Pinellas Auto Body & TOWING to "Be everyplace at all times"! Just one of a couple very stupid statements from a very stupid man.I asked the Manager to ensure this doesn't happen to anyone else. So he seemed to be a total a** and doesn't give a flying fig for anybody else other than the $ signs in his eyes. I did try to solve it there and actually questioned it when at first he gave me a vague BS pat answer so then I get the "have to get the vehicle off the street" & "everyplace at all times" spiel, but since he was very UNreceptive and rude, I'm saying it here.

Furthermore, I feel it is highly UNethical for a Towing Company to also be an auto body repair shop. This Company's hours are horrible, they close at 5:30pm. So do not get into a car accident when I did, at 4:45pm. Plan your accidents to be timed more conveniently for YOU cuz you don't matter to THEM They didn't bother to roll up my car windows for FOUR days, most everything was ruined inside, customer service is an oxymoron and a joke, The Manager is one step up from a retarded monkey and these people at Pinellas Auto Body & Towing are nothing but ambulance chasers. Do not do business with these "people", BEWARE!!

Donna

33755, Florida

U.S.A.