A Villager’s home was intentionally damaged by a roofer apparently hoping to trigger an insurance claim to generate business.
A woman living in the Village of Amelia this past August began checking with local roofing companies for an evaluation of her roof, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Eustis Roofing Company told her that her “roof looked good and had approximately 10 years of life left.” Sky Light Roofing told her that her “roof was older but didn’t to be replaced right away.” Batterbee Roofing conducted an inspection and told her that her “roof was older and would need to be replaced soon.”
The Villager, acting on the advice of a realtor, also contacted 51-year-old Gerardo Gonzalez Jr. of Mount Dora. She was under the impression he worked for a roofing company.
Gonzalez told her that her roof was heavily damaged. He sent her 14 photos showing the “extensive” damage. He told her the damage would be covered by an insurance claim.
The Villager contacted two of the companies that had previously inspected her roof and did not find the damage. They had photos that showed the roof had not suffered any significant damage, prior to the “inspection” by Gonzalez. One of the roof inspectors told a deputy that in his 16 years of experience, he had never seen that kind of damage inflicted during a “normal” inspection. He said the “only logical explanation” was that it was “caused intentionally” in an attempt to “generate business” by encouraging the homeowner to file an insurance claim.
A deputy contacted Gonzalez and invited him to come to the sheriff’s office to provide an interview. He never showed up. The information was forwarded to the state attorney’s office and a warrant was issued for Gonzalez’s arrest.
He was picked up earlier this month in Lake County on a Sumter County warrant charging him with criminal mischief. He was booked at the Lake County Jail and released after posting $2,000 bond.