NEWPORT BEACH : Car Dealer Denies That Salesman Uttered Slurs

The Fletcher Jones Mercedes-Benz dealership issued a statement Friday saying allegations that one of its sales staff used defamatory language with customers are not true.

In a written statement, the owners of Fletcher Jones Motorcars state that they intend “to vigorously dispute the allegations” of a lawsuit filed in Orange County Superior Court against the company.

In the lawsuit, Robert and Risa Groux state that they went to the Newport Beach dealership Aug. 5 intending to buy two new cars.

But the salesman would not accept the price they were willing to pay, the lawsuit states, and as the couple left the dealership, the salesman stopped them and said, “You’re not Jewish! Why are you acting like this?”

The couple allege in their lawsuit that the disparaging remarks did not end when they informed the salesman that one of them is Jewish.

A statement from the dealership says the “Jones family has historically been opposed to bias and discrimination in any form.”

“Fletcher Jones has always had a written policy against discriminatory conduct,” the statement says, “and neither Fletcher Jones Jr. nor the company tolerate ethnic or other slurs.”

A hearing on the lawsuit has been set for Nov. 17. The couple are seeking unspecified damages.