SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) – Minutes after Susan Hillard pumped gasoline at a 7-Eleven on Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota, her Kia Sorento stopped.
She wasn’t alone.
“There was a stalled truck, a work truck, right there in the driveway and then another stalled truck in the driveway, another work truck,” Hillard said.
A repair shop confirmed there was water in the tank. It cost $928 for repairs. She says she couldn’t get a straight answer from 7-Eleven about whether she’d receive full reimbursement. Worried she could get stuck with the big bill, she knew she’d Better Call Behnken.
Investigator Shannon Behnken called the Florida Department of Agriculture to make sure this was investigated. 8 On Your Side also reached out to 7-Eleven and was told they would contact their third-party insurance company to work to cover repairs for not only Hillard but every impacted customer.
Days later, Hillard received a check for the full amount.
Although she is thrilled to have her money back, Hillard says she hopes the gas station will act faster if this happens again and shut off the tanks to keep so many people from pumping the tainted gasoline.
“Better shut it off and move somewhere else than have all these people stranded on the road,” she said.
