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Texas plumber sues after company truck sold to IS

Photos of jihadists using Mark Oberholtzer’s car in combat, with his logo still on it, have led to death threats

By AP and ToI Staff 16 December 2015, 4:22 am

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A car belonging to Texas plumber Mark Oberholtzer in the hands of Syrian jihadists (YouTube screen capture)

A Texas plumber is suing a truck dealer after a vehicle emblazoned with his company’s name and phone number — and carrying gun-toting jihadists — appeared in photos circulated by Islamic extremists.

Mark Oberholtzer filed the lawsuit against Charlie Thomas Ford Ltd., of Houston, last Wednesday. Oberholtzer wants more than $1 million to cover the damage to his company, Mark-1 Plumbing in Texas City, since the photo was circulated on social media in 2014.

Oberholtzer says he’s received death threats and over 1,000 phone calls since the photos appeared online.

“My secretary called me and said, ‘You can’t believe this,’” Oberholtzer told ABC News. “I really at first thought it was just somebody playing with us.

Mark Oberholtzer, a Texas plumber whose car ended up in the hands of Syrian jihadists (ABC News/YouTube screen capture)

“She was getting constant calls, threats, nothing about plumbing,” he said.

The lawsuit says the dealer didn’t remove the Mark-1 decals as promised before shipping the vehicle to Turkey.

“I don’t need this press and I don’t need the threats to my family,” Oberholtzer told ABC.

Dealer AutoNation told ABC News that “The truck came in on trade and was immediately sent to auction. The auctions in most accounts will prep the vehicles. We have the paperwork that shows the steps the vehicle took.”

The dealership added that it was “unfortunate that the customer has had to go through this.”