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Lawmaker Receives $20K Bill from Rental Company

South Carolina’s Rep. Wendell Gilliard got a bill from Avis Budget Group for more than $20,000 in vehicle damage. A police investigation discovered that an employee had taken the car after the congressman returned it and caused $20,000 worth of damage.

March 31, 2022
Lawmaker Receives $20K Bill from Rental Company

The congressman’s bill included more than $20,000 in vehicle damage. But security footage revealed it was an Avis-Budget employee who took the car after it was returned. Two individuals have been charged. 

2 min to read


Avis Budget Group has issued a statement on an investigation into stolen rental vehicles and a South Carolina lawmaker who received a bill for more than $20,000, according to a report by News 5 WCSC.

After renting a vehicle for a few days in January, Rep. Wendell Gilliard (D-Charleston County) received a bill for more than $20,000 in damage. Gilliard said that he returned the car on time without a scratch, according to the report. When he couldn’t find answers from Avis-Budget officials, Gilliard reached out to the Charleston International Airport and Charleston County Aviation Authority Police.

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After looking at security cameras and launching an investigation, airport police discovered that several rental cars had been reported stolen. According to a police report, an Avis-Budget employee was suspected of taking the car without logging it back in after Gilliard returned it. Then the employee caused $20,000 worth of damage to the vehicle.

Domaneck Dixon has been charged with 18 counts of grand larceny (valued at $10,000 or more) and Luther Antonio Smith was charged with five counts of possession of a stolen vehicle, according to jail records.

Avis Budget Group released the following statement: “Avis Budget Group has terminated the employment of the person responsible and is resolving matters directly with customers who have been impacted.”

Gilliard said that he’s working to create a law that makes car rental companies more accountable to protect customers, according to the report.

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