ST. LOUIS – A recent casino trip over the Memorial Day weekend cost a disabled veteran his truck.
Denver Sullens parked his truck Saturday in a special area for vehicles deemed too big for the garage. He said he avoided the garage when he saw the 6-foot clearance bar.
“Am I going to hit that or not? So, you pull over there where you know you won’t hit,” he said.
Sullens’ truck lowers several inches when parked, which would put him barely under the height requirement when lowered. But he cannot drive it that low. He can only get in and out. They towed him anyway.
“They said, ‘Your truck’s too short, you couldn’t park there,’ and I tried to explain to them my truck lowers to let me out because I got hurt in the military, and I have mobility issues,” he said.
His truck has plates identifying him as a disabled veteran.
“One of the security guys thought it was kind of funny that they took my truck on Memorial Day, being a veteran,” Sullens said. “They just kind of chuckled a little bit.”
Meanwhile, Sullens couldn’t get his truck back from the tow lot for two days because of the holiday. It then cost him $500 to get it. He reported his problem to the Missouri Gaming Commission, and appealed directly to the casino.
When he returned to the casino, Sullens said the head of security, “…wanted me to jump through all these hoops to prove how tall my truck was. You drive under this pipe here and under this here, and he had a girl standing way back trying to take a picture of it, so you’re looking up at it. It was silly.”
Sullens said they would not bend, until FOX 2 provided truck measurements and asked the casino for a third look.
“You guys got my money back, and they gave me a little bit extra for my trouble,” he said. “I feel wonderful that you guys did something – and I like the fact that somebody admitted they did something wrong.”
The casino declined further comment, asking that Sullens’ response speak for itself.
Sullens said the casino vice president called him personally.
“He really stepped up, and these days that’s not something you see too often anymore,” he said.