TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Tallahassee woman is facing multiple charges after not returning a car she was trying to buy from a local car dealership.
Melissa Ferguson, 46, was arrested by the Tallahassee Police Department on Wednesday.
On Sept. 19, officers responded to Kia of Tallahassee in response to a call from the finance manager at the dealership regarding fraud involving Ferguson buying a car.
When officers arrived on scene, they spoke with the finance manager, who stated Ferguson came into the dealership about a week before to buy a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado that was valued at $43,844.02.
Ferguson initially gave them a check of $30,000, however it was denied.
She told them the bank probably denied the funds due to the large dollar amount.
According to the police report, Ferguson was told she could take the car home that night, but would need to return in the morning with a cashier's check for the total amount and finish filling out paperwork.
The next day, she returned and filled out the remaining paperwork, however, she didn't have the check, telling them she would return later in the day with it.
Ferguson never returned and began sending emails with excuses as to why she wasn't able to stop by the dealership to give them the money for the car.
The dealership told Ferguson to have the money to them no later than Sept. 14, however, she never came in and told them the IRS froze her funds.
Ferguson said she would have the car back at the dealership by Tuesday, but never showed up.
Officers learned that the account the check was drawn from was closed on Aug. 28 and had a negative balance when it was closed.
Officers then responded to an address where Ferguson listed she worked at while filling out paperwork at the dealership, and found the car in the parking lot.
When Ferguson came out to see why officers were at the car, they put her into handcuffs.
When officers asked Ferguson specifics about the Wells Fargo account, she told them her grandmother died in July and had a Lifetime Insurance Policy, indicating a $150,000 went into the account a week and a half ago.
She told officers the IRS froze the funds.
When officers looked up the name she gave them, it said the woman passed away back in April 2003.
The police report stated, when officers explained that the woman actually died in 2003, Ferguson stated something about it taking a while to get the funds.
Ferguson also listed various references for the car dealership, but when the dealership tried to contact them, the number was not in service or wasn't associated with the listed person.
Based on the evidence, Ferguson is being charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle and writing a fraudulent check.
She was taken to the Leon County Detention Facility and her bond was set at $5,000. She has since bonded out.
