A Davenport contractor is accused of leaving a disabled veteran without the concrete ramp he paid for.

Blyndon McLaughlin lost his legs due to an infection and is wheel-chair bound. He served in the US Marine Corps from 1988-1992.

He and his wife Heather McLaughlin have checks and a contract showing they paid Jason Reynolds with True-Shot Construction more than $3,000 to build a concrete ramp. The ramp would prevent McLaughlin from having to use his wheelchair on the grass or the stairs, which they said is difficult to maneuver. 

Local 4 learned that two other neighbors say they lost thousands of dollars and have unfinished projects from the company. The business’ Facebook page now says that True Shot is permanently closed. We contacted the company multiple times for comment and have not heard back. The number used to advertise the business is disconnected. 

It was also discovered that Reynolds has a current warrant out for his arrest for failure to register as a sex offender in Scott County. 

McLaughlin said he learned it’s important to research contractors before getting work done. He said it was hurtful knowing they lost thousands of dollars. 

“It’s the worst experience I’ve ever had.  It’s been so heartbreaking, so stressful,” he said. 

Heather McLaughlin said she made countless calls to the contractor who made excuses for his absence. 

“Every day we would have to call and say, what are you doing? Are you coming? Are you not coming? Why aren’t you coming?” she said. “[He] should be contacting us. So it was just very disappointing.” 

The couple heard about the company from their next-door neighbor who had a tree removed after the derecho in August. They learned that other neighbors also hired True Shot in the area, and had similar experiences of unfinished work and lost dollars. One of those neighbors, Nancy Schunter, said she called the business to ask about a refund. 

“That’s when I asked, ‘Will I be getting any money back? I’m going to get somebody else to do the work,” she said. She did not hear back from the company. 

They now want to warn others to research their contractors. 

“Vet the [company] and get references,” Schunter said. 

“Everybody, check your [contractors] out,” McLaughlin said. 

They said they hope speaking up about their experience will be a chance for others to learn what not to do. 

“If you’re wealthy or poor, it’s not right that you steal other’s money and not do the job that you said you were gonna do,” McLaughlin said. 

Schunter filed a police report for the incident. The McLaughlins said they plan to do the same. 

Chris Coleman, the president of the Better Business Bureau, said looking into companies is the first step to keeping your home and money safe. 

“Number one, do your research. Number two, get multiple bids in writing. Make sure they are in writing. Number three, make sure you know where the company is physically located,” he said. 

He said this makes it easier to stay in contact with the contractor to hold them accountable. 

“Most people get frustrated after they pay for a job or pay for part of a job where they can’t contact the company anymore,” he said. “If they are accredited by the BBB, we know where they physically are and can go knock on the door.”

He also said it’s crucial to check previous references. 
For more tips for researching contractors, visit the link here.