PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. – A Pulaski County repair shop allegedly agreed in July of last year to repair the air conditioning on a woman’s car, told her the car was missing, and then demanded she pay more than the vehicle’s value for its return, according to a state court lawsuit filed last week.
Celeste Flippo claims she dropped off her 2016 Hyundai Elantra at DJ’s Auto Repair in North Little Rock, Ark., on July 30, 2025. Flippo said she wanted the business to diagnose problems with the air system before doing any work and never received any estimate or quote for repairs after leaving the car.
Flippo claims that she repeatedly asked the garage for updates on her car and that in May of this year, she was told the repair shop could not locate the Hyundai.
Flippo filed a report with the Sherwood Police Dept. “based on the defendants’ representation that the vehicle could not be located and out of fear of liability should the vehicle be involved in an automobile accident.”
Officers went to DJ’s Auto and “the vehicle was easily located,” according to Flippo’s complaint.
“The responding officer was told that plaintiff did not owe any money to the defendants and the vehicle could be picked up by the plaintiff at any time, which was recorded on the officer’s body camera,” according to Flippo’s lawsuit.
But when Flippo went to pick up the car, she was allegedly told by Donald Ray Jackson of DJ’s Auto that she could not have her car unless she paid “an unspecified amount in towing fees, $2,500.00 in unspecified expenses, and $17,000.00 in storage fees and whatever else he wanted to charge.”
“Jackson did not provide any documentation outlining these expenses,” Flippo said in her complaint.
According to the complaint, Flippo’s Hyundai is only worth about $10,000.
Flippo notes in the complaint that she drove the car to DJ’s Auto and towing of the car should have been unnecessary.
She also said DJ’s never provided “an estimate, invoice, or quote for repairs and she did not approve any repairs to be completed.”
Flippo’s complaint names Sharon Jackson Inc. doing business as DJ’s Auto Repair and Jackson as defendants. Flippo is asking a Pulaski County circuit court to order DJ’s Auto to return the car to her. She is also asking for actual and compensatory damages and attorney fees.
Flippo is represented by Elizabeth Dussex of Lion Legal. Counsel information for DJ’s Auto was not available Friday.
Editor’s note: This story is based on allegations made in a civil complaint. A lawsuit presents only one side of a dispute, and the claims have not been proven in court. The defendants have not yet filed a response.
