This Benbrook truck driver’s accused of defrauding company of nearly $93,000

May 11--FORT WORTH -- A Benbrook trucker has been named in a lawsuit that is trying to get him to repay nearly $93,000 in fraudulent fuel charges.

The lawsuit alleges that Jose Garza used an unassigned and unauthorized fuel card to charge more than $92,500 for fuel -- for trucks that were idle or not assigned to him.

Garza was given a fuel card by his employer, Quickway Distribution Services of Nashville, to purchase gas for the truck that he drove, according to the lawsuit. But he was able to get another fuel card that was not assigned to any Quickway employee, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit accuses Garza of entering different truck identification numbers not belonging to the truck that he drove, and to trucks that were idle, when purchasing fuel to keep his additional gas purchases from being detected.

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Quickway demanded that Garza, who no longer works for the company, repay them but he has not, the lawsuit states. Quickway's insurer, National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburg, PA., filed suit in the Fort Worth federal court on Thursday, court documents show.

Brent Martinelli, the lawyer who filed the suit, said the alleged fraud began in October 2013 and lasted until at least the next year, but may have gone on longer. Martinelli said he was not sure when Garza stopped working for Quickway.

Attempts to reach Garza were unsuccessful.

The lawsuit alleges one count each of unjust enrichment, fraud and theft, and is asking the court to order the reimbursement of approximately $92,500, the cost of filing the lawsuit, attorneys fees and other reasonable costs.

Mitch Mitchell: 817-390-7752, @mitchmitchel3

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