Repossessor Arrested – Accused of Dragging Borrower

Lakeland, TN – June 20, 2023 – Late is late, but two weeks late seems a little harsh. Especially when it allegedly results in the borrower getting pinned against another car and dragged as the recovery agent drives away. All reportedly done by a “private contractor” with a revoked drivers license working for a local repossession company.

According to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, it all went down last Sunday night just about where you would expect it to happen, a Super 8 Motel. It was there that the borrower, who wished to remain unnamed, claimed that he heard a noise outside his room. Going to investigate, he found 34-year-old Anthony Bent sitting behind the wheel of his 2015 Ford Fusion.

Bent allegedly told the man that it was a repo, but according to the borrower, it appeared more likely that he was trying to steal it. Interviewed by WREG Memphis News, the borrower stated; “I asked him, ‘Where is the paperwork if it’s a repo?’ He said his brother has it.,”

“As I’m telling him that, another car he came in pulled right in front of my car. She got out hollering, ‘Yes, it’s a repo.’ I said, ‘Where are the papers?’ and she said she was going to call the police. I told her, ‘Fine, call the police.’”

The unidentified borrower then said that he struggled with Bent, and Bent placed the vehicle in drive, pinning him and partially dragging him against another vehicle. The borrower is reported to have suffered minor injuries to his hip and shoulder.

“I was in between the door of the driver’s side of my car. So when he drove off, he slammed the car into another car. So I was caught in between the door,” said the victim. “So he collided with the car and dragged me a little bit.”

According to Deputies, Bent had used a screwdriver to enter the vehicle and did not let the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office know ahead of time that he was going to be performing a repossession.

Police told reporters that the Ford Fusion was leased from (this is so fitting to this story) No Worries Automotive Group. JR Towing is reported as the agency was hired to repossess the vehicle.

According to the borrower, “When I talked to the owner of No Worries Automotive, he told me I was two weeks behind… It was Thursday, maybe. I told them I would bring in the payment Monday, and he said okay, that’s fine.”

WREG is reported as having contacted No Worries Automotive Group for a comment about the incident, but reported to have heard back from anyone from the company as of the time of this story.

Repossessor Arrested – Accused of Dragging Borrower — Anthony Bent Mugshot

WREG reported that a man who answered the phone at JR Towing, who did not identify himself, said the situation was blown out of proportion. He is reported to have said that Bent drove off because the borrower was aggressive and that Bent was worried about his own safety.

As far as the screwdriver goes, WREG claims to have been told that Bent had a key for the Ford Fusion but had used the screwdriver to remove a plastic panel on the outside of the vehicle to expose the lock.

When WREG asked if he knew that Bent had a revoked license, the man reportedly said that Bent was not one of his employees, but a subcontractor, and he did not know that his license had been revoked.

Anthony Bent, 34, was charged with reckless endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident involving an injury, and driving with a suspended or revoked license. Deputies are reported to have stated that Bent’s license was revoked due to multiple convictions.

Source: WREG Memphis News 3