Dealership Hearing Adjourns

The license revocation hearing against West Covina Mitsubishi over an array of consumer fraud allegations brought by the state Department of Motor Vehicles has been continued until June 5.

The hearing against the car dealer, the nation’s top-volume Mitsubishi retail dealership in 1987, began Feb. 21 and adjourned Tuesday.

The DMV has finished presenting its case and the defense portion of the hearing is expected to take up to five additional days. State Administrative Law Judge Robert A. Neher eventually will rule on the DMV’s request to revoke or suspend the dealership’s sales license.

In its complaint, the DMV has accused the dealership of assessing illegal charges and fees to unwitting customers, using misleading and false advertising, preparing fraudulent credit applications, lying to customers about car prices and making late payments on required state fees.

Dealership president Ziad Alhassen, one of the city’s most successful businessmen and developers, has denied all DMV allegations through his attorneys.