Derrick Tibbs was arrested on two felony theft counts Monday night.NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
A local political figure who previously worked on Nashville Mayor Karl Dean's campaign was arrested this week after police said he refused to pay his auto shop repair bill.
The owners of Precision Autohaus said Derrick Tibbs refused to pay more than $1,800 for work performed on his 2003 Mercedes Benz last month.
According to police affidavits, Tibbs, 38, took the keys from the auto shop on June 13 and left.
When the business contacted him about paying for the parts and repair, he replied it was "not going to happen," the affidavits stated.
"I left a message to him and on his voicemail several times that it would be prosecuted," shop owner Hector Correa said. "He [stated] over the phone that he don't have the money for this."
Tibbs was arrested Monday night on one count of felony theft of services and one count of felony theft of property.
He has since been released on a $1,000 bond.
Tibbs, who worked on Mayor Karl Dean's 2011 reelection campaign, told The City Paper he had to take the car off the lot in order to get a loan to cover the high repair cost.
After he left, Tibbs told the paper said his car broke down and he had it fixed for $500 by another repair shop.
He added in the story that he was shocked to learn his mug shot was on the Metro Police West precinct's "Ten Most Wanted" list.
Before joining Dean's campaign last year, Tibbs was a legislative liaison for the Tennessee Department of Transportation for eight years.
