Millbrook car dealer arrested on charge of filing false police report

The owner of a Millbrook used car dealership has been charged with filing a false police report and reckless endangerment.

Millbrook Police Chief P.K. Johnson says on Tuesday, February 4, they were called to Meeks Auto Sales on a report of a car theft. Johnson says the owner of the business, 25-year-old Billy Ray Meeks-Carter of Montgomery said a potential customer had stolen a Dodge Charger without paying for it or getting permission to drive it off the lot.

Johnson says Meeks-Carter told officers he tried to chase the customer but lost sight of the car while trying to call 911.

Johnson says police completed a report and put the car in a national law enforcement database and issued a “Be on the Lookout” advisory to other law enforcement agencies.

But Johnson says when they made contact with the person who drove off in the car, he showed paperwork that he’d made an agreement to buy the car in December and had made “substantial payments” on it, with the balance due at the end of February.

Johnson said the purchaser told officers he was at the dealership to renegotiate the due date on the remaining payments when Meeks-Carter said that the purchaser would have to leave the car behind. The purchaser said he refused to do that and started driving off when police say Meeks-Carter tried to chase him in another vehicle and hit the Charger, damaging its bumper.

Johnson says warrants were obtained for Meeks-Carter’s arrest for reckless endangerment and false reporting to law enforcement authorities. Johnson says Meeks-Carter was arrested on Wednesday, February 5, and was released on bond.

Chief Johnson released a statement regarding Meeks-Carter:

“Had the complainant advised the reporting officer that there was an existing agreement between the business and the buyer, this would have been documented as a civil matter and he would have been advised to seek remedy through Civil Court proceedings, as no crime appears to have been committed, at least not on the part of the purchaser.

“This situation could have ended up much worse had our detectives not conducted their investigation with the promptness and diligence that they did. Should the alleged offender be found guilty in this case, he may not only face fines, court cost and a jail sentence with regard to filing a false report, he may also be held accountable and ordered to pay restitution for expenses incurred by law enforcement during this investigation.”