Judge orders parts business to pay $90K fine

GOLDENDALE, Wash. -- A Klickitat County couple accused of failing to ship motorcycle parts purchased over the Internet has been ordered to pay nearly $90,000 as part of an order shutting down their business.

Judge Brian Altman handed down the default ruling this week in Klickitat County Superior Court after the defendants failed to respond to a lawsuit filed by the state Attorney General’s Office.

The state filed the lawsuit against Slade and Shawna Kitchens of Dallesport following complaints from motorcyclists across the country who said they’d paid for bike parts but never received them.

The judge’s order requires the couple to pay $25,000 in penalties and $13,400 in restitution for almost 60 customers, as well as more than $51,000 in attorney’s fees and legal costs for the state.

They are barred from buying or selling motorcycles and telecommunications equipment over the Internet and also must avoid misrepresenting themselves in any future businesses, according to the judge’s order.

According to the Attorney General’s Office They conducted business under a plethora of names: Jeff’s Cycles, Hood River Cycles, PTC Telecom, Cycle Parts 2007, S&S Cycles, Motor Parts Corp., Vintage Cycle Parts, Prospect Tel. & Cycle, Denver Monahan, Hood River Installers, Comm and Data Equipment, Telcom & Data Resale, Gorge PTC, Refurbishing Dock-Comm & Data Equipment and commdataconversions.com.

Slade Kitchens sometimes used the names Joe Matthews, Terry Reynolds, T. Shine and Denver, according to the Attorney General’s Office.