Clayton County gas station accused of selling watered-down gas

Clayton County woman wants compensation after being sold water-downed gas

The issue dates back to April, when the Georgia Department of Agriculture shut down the premium and mid-grade fuel pumps at an Amoco station after one customer claimed the gas caused damage to her vehicle. Investigators returned to follow up on claims that the shutdown order had been disregarded. While the station has since been cleared for operation, the underlying issues have not been resolved, and the woman has not been reimbursed for her repair costs.

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - A gas station located along a heavily trafficked stretch of Highway 42 in Clayton County is under scrutiny by state officials after investigators discovered contaminated fuel. 

The backstory:

The issue dates back to April, when the Georgia Department of Agriculture shut down the premium and mid-grade fuel pumps at an Amoco station after one customer claimed the gas caused damage to her vehicle. 

She alleged that the company had refused to reimburse her for the cost of repairs.

Marilyn Benson stopped at the station to purchase gas in April. She filled her vehicle with $50 worth of premium fuel. Shortly thereafter, her Mercedes-Benz began experiencing mechanical issues.

"I was, like, 'Oh, my God what happened to my car.'" said Benson. "My car engine light came on about 5 minutes after purchasing the gas."

Benson took her vehicle to a service center, where she received a repair estimate of $2,900.

"That's when he said, testing the gas, that it smelled very weak," she said.

According to the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Fuel & Measures Division, inspectors visited the site in May and found four inches of water in the premium fuel tank. Both the premium and mid-grade pumps were determined to be contaminated and were subsequently shut down.

What we know:

On Tuesday, investigators returned to follow up on claims that the shutdown order had been disregarded. While the station has since been cleared for operation, the underlying issues have not been resolved, and Benson has not been reimbursed for her repair costs.

"I reached out several times, at least 4 times, to reimburse, and he said he's not fixing my car," she said. "I'm going to take him to small claims court in Clayton County."

What you can do:

The Georgia Department of Agriculture states that gas stations found to be selling contaminated fuel are liable for any resulting damage to customers' vehicles. The department advises that if consumers suspect contaminated fuel, they should:

• Have a mechanic take a fuel sample.
• Contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture Fuel & Measures Division to file a complaint.
• Obtain a copy of the inspection report to confirm contamination.
• Identify the owner of the station.
• Request the insurance company’s contact information to file a claim once contamination is confirmed.