BOSTON – A Massachusetts Appeals Court in September reversed a jury ruling that found North Amherst Auto Rental negligent for renting to a college student who presented an international driving permit from Zimbabwe instead of a driver’s license. The 21-year-old customer’s rental car was involved in an accident that resulted in another college student suffering a fractured ankle. After a four-day trial, the jury awarded the injured student $200,000.
Both the customer, Ravinderpal Chana, and the injured student, Wilson Ortiz, were students at the University of Massachusetts at the time of the accident, Feb. 26, 1999. A citizen of Zimbabwe, Chana had previously rented cars from North Amherst Auto Rental on a number of occasions without incident.











