Akron says a city landlord illegally received water and sewer service for years at two homes, racking up more than $110,000 in unpaid bills.
Property owner John Roddy then attempted to skip out on the bills by transferring the ownership to a new corporation he controls, the city alleges in a lawsuit filed this week in Summit County Common Pleas Court.
The city is asking the court to make Roddy, who lives in Seville, personally liable for the utility service and pay up.
An attorney for Roddy did not respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit says the city had shut off water service at 432 Beechwood Drive in March 2008 and at 2281 11th St. in October 2008. Both are two-story colonial homes.
But Roddy later restored water service without the authority or knowledge of the city, and he “intentionally cut, damaged or destroyed the encoder receiver transmitter wire,” at the properties, the suit says.
The water and sewer service was undetected because the wire was cut.
City workers discovered the problem in 2014 at both properties and two separate bills were issued.
The water meter was undamaged and recorded the water usage.
The bill for the Beechwood home was $10,437, while the bill for the 11th Street home was $99,605.
The 11th Street bill says more than $70,223 is the result of Environmental Protection Agency mandates.
The lawsuit claims Roddy transferred parcels, including the two in question, from his JMS Properties of Ohio to Aariene Properties Inc. and then Arien Properties LLC, which he controls.
“The transfer was entered into fraudulently for the purpose of escaping the corporation’s liabilities,” the lawsuit says.
The city declined to comment on the suit.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrickABJ.