Attorney General’s Office looking to shut down Hancock County car dealership

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Attorney General’s Office has asked the Hancock County Circuit Court to close a used vehicle dealership after its owner failed to comply with a subpoena involving a customer’s vehicle.

Emuil M. Byard Jr., the owner and operator of JB Rebuilt Auto Sales, allegedly repossessed the vehicle without proper notice.

“Businesses must respect our state’s consumer protection laws and comply with any lawful subpoena,” Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said. “A vehicle is one of the largest and most important purchases consumers can make and they should not have their vehicle unlawfully ripped away without notice.”

According to the petition, Byard admitted to investigators he did not give the customer a 10-day notice as required by law. He instead required the customer to sign an agreement stating his company can repossess a vehicle when a payment is five days late.