Friday, February 06, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

'The Chopper' faces charges in dispute with customer

Josh Towbin Salesman is alleged to have kicked customer's vehicle

A car salesman known in his colorful television commercials as "The Chopper" was arrested following a dispute with a customer outside his dealership.

Josh Towbin, 28, better known as the "The Chopper," has been charged by the Clark County district attorney's office with false imprisonment, a gross misdemeanor, and disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, according to police and court records.

Towbin, the general manager of the Towbin Dodge Superstore in Henderson, is accused of using his vehicle to box in a customer on a street near the Valley Auto Mall business, according to police reports.

"There was sufficient evidence provided to us that compelled us to file charges," said District Attorney David Roger.

Towbin's attorney, Dominic Gentile, disputes the allegations.

"We've got about 12 witnesses that absolutely corroborate that there is no merit to this at all," Gentile said.

According to a police affidavit for a warrant, John Cleary, 46, was upset about his vehicle contract. In late October, Cleary went to Towbin's dealership to resolve the issue.

"You signed it. See you later," Cleary, interviewed from his home Thursday, said he was told when he tried to get the matter resolved.

According to police reports, Cleary drove around the area of the dealership on Nov. 1 with signs that said "I got pucked by Towbin Dodge." The signs were tied to the truck, and Cleary placed hockey sticks in the truck, according to the police report.

Representatives of the dealership called police. Officers said they could not intervene because Cleary had not been on the Towbin property and was driving on a public thoroughfare.

Later, according to the police report, Josh Towbin drove up to Cleary's truck in a Cadillac Escalade with about four other men.

According to the report, Towbin put the vehicle in reverse and started following Cleary's vehicle in the northbound lanes of a roadway, headed southbound, "almost hitting another vehicle."

Cleary alleged his vehicle then was blocked in and Towbin threatened to beat him up. Cleary alleged that "several of Chopper's workers" ripped the signs off his truck and that Towbin kicked his truck.

A court appearance for Towbin has been scheduled for later this month.

Towbin is prominently featured in his dealership's commercials, during which he exclaims, "Get down here!" He also hosts an infomercial, called "The Chopper Show."

In a 2002 interview with the Review-Journal, Towbin talked about his customer service philosophy.

"We have to kill the person with kindness and treat him the right way and prove to him we're not trying to do the wrong thing," he said.