When someone damages your property, they have to pay, right? So what if police shoot your car while firing at someone, do they have to repair the vehicle? It’s why one Wilton Manors resident turned to Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser in search of answers.
Gregg walked out at 4:30 in the morning to smoke a cigarette. Then he stepped back inside.
Gregg Kodelman: “I’m pouring the coffee and I hear ‘Bang, bang, bang, bang.’ And I’m going, ‘What crazy person is out shooting fireworks off?'”
It wasn’t fireworks. Wilton Manors Police had shot his neighbor.
Gregg Kodelman: “I look outside and I see my neighbor on the ground, with police everywhere, giving him chest compressions.”
Police had been called to his neighbors house — when he came out with what Gregg said was a pellet gun, they opened fire.
Gregg Kodelman: “They shot 12 shots and nine are in the body and two in a car, and one in the neighbor’s house, on the other side.”
Somehow the neighbor survived.
Gregg then saw police had fired two shots into his Cadillac that was sitting in his driveway.
Gregg Kodelman: “This is the bullet that went through the upper part of the passenger door. It’s lodged in the frame of the airbag and the driver’s seat.”
Gregg says police told him to call Wilton Manors and the city would take care of the damage. He called.
Gregg Kodelman: “Absolutely no. They have totally denied us anything. They’re claiming zero liability.”
Gregg has this bullet the cops shot into his car, an $11,000 estimate to repair his Cadillac and more bad news.
Gregg Kodelman: “I mean, the frame has been damaged on the car so they’re welding a piece in. The depreciation on the car is immense so I think they should replace the car.”
But Gregg says the city has told him they won’t even pay his $500 insurance deductible.
Gregg Kodelman: “I was in this house when the shooting happened. They shoot my car. I’m supposed to pay for it.”
Leaving an unhappy Wilton Manors taxpayer.
Gregg Kodelman: “You don’t want to know what I think.”
But I know what Gregg wants to know — if the police shoot your property, do they have to repair it, Howard?
Howard Finkelstein: “If the police are justified in firing their weapons, they are not responsible for any damage they cause, even if they miss their target. Legally, that means the city doesn’t have to pay to repair the car — but legally, they have the authority to pay Gregg to avoid a lawsuit because Gregg is a victim of the gunshots as well.”
I contacted Wilton Manors — they told me they were insured through the Florida League of Cities.
A spokesperson for that group wrote they do “not comment on open matters.”
They obviously didn’t bother to check with a League of Cities coworker who had previously written to Gregg: “We have completed our investigation” and “this type of loss is not covered.”
Gregg Kodelman: “And just blatantly lied to.”
Gregg is happy to have his car back, but planning to sue the city officials who could have paid to repair it, and vowing to remember them when they ask for his vote the next time.
Gregg Kodelman: “Absolutely not. Absolutely not. And I wouldn’t vote for one of ’em that’s in office.”
As we always say — if the politicians won’t listen to you, let them hear you at the ballot box. And thank goodness Gregg had insurance because sometimes, the person who damages your car is uninsured. Or like in this case, legally doesn’t have to pay.
Aiming to solve a problem but don’t think you have a shot at fixing it? Here is a bullet-in. Let us fire off a few solutions to repair the damage.
With this Help Me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
Miami-Dade: 305-953-WSVN
Broward: 954-761-WSVN
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.