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ATLANTA — A Florida man is suing Atlanta rapper and entertainer Rick Ross saying he was not able to get into Ross’ infamous car show because he was in a wheelchair despite advertising that the event was wheelchair accessible.
In the lawsuit filed by Darris Straughter, he said he “made it his mission to attend the car show. He saved money year-round to pay for tickets, travel, and lodging. When that was not enough, he sold his car. Mr. Straughter overcame a slew of obstacles just to reach the car show – only to be denied entry because of his disability.”
Straughter was paralyzed in 2018 after being shot eight times while sitting at a red light.
The lawsuit says he notified the car show organizers about two weeks ahead of time that he was going to be in a wheelchair and received an email back saying that there would be “a wheelchair-accessible shuttle to transport him to the car show.”
Straughter had attended the car show in 2023 and was provided a golf cart to attend the event once he was on site. According to the lawsuit, there were “no accommodations made to the outdoor terrain for wheelchair use,” at this year’s show.
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Once he got to the pickup site, Straughter said he waited for an accessible bus to pick him up.
“Multiple shuttle-bus drivers acknowledged Mr. Straughter’s presence and disability but indicated those buses were not equipped to accommodate him,” the lawsuit said. “After several hours of waiting, and the car show nearing its end, Mr. Straughter made arrangements to return to his hotel, feeling humiliated and dejected.”
The annual event attracts thousands of people each year to Ross’ Fayette County mansion.
Straughter said Ross promised that the car show would be “a dream-like visit to his property ‘The Promise Land.’ In reality, it was a land of broken promises and a nightmarish.”
He is now demanding a jury trial over allegations of breach of contract, unjust enrichment, violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other charges.
Channel 2′s Tom Jones spoke to one of Ross’ attorneys. When asked about the man’s claims, he said “We had all that stuff covered.” He said someone would send a full statement later in the day.
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